June 2023
Volume 64, Issue 8
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   June 2023
Association Between Systemic Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Optical Coherence Tomography Biomarkers in a Geographic Atrophy Cohort
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Andres Lisker Cervantes
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
    Department of Ophthalmology, CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Program, Aurora, Colorado, United States
  • Talisa E de Carlo
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Zafar Gill
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Jennifer Patnaik
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Anne Lynch
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Alan G Palestine
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Marc T Mathias
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Niranjan Manoharan
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Nihaal Mehta
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • William S Gange
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Ramya Gnanaraj
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Vivian Rajeswaren
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Itzam Marin
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Amy Huang
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Naresh Mandava
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, United States
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Andres Lisker Cervantes None; Talisa de Carlo None; Zafar Gill None; Jennifer Patnaik Orbis, Code C (Consultant/Contractor), GoCheckKids, Code C (Consultant/Contractor); Anne Lynch None; Alan Palestine None; Marc Mathias None; Niranjan Manoharan Iveric Bio, Code F (Financial Support); Nihaal Mehta None; William Gange None; Ramya Gnanaraj None; Vivian Rajeswaren None; Itzam Marin None; Amy Huang None; Naresh Mandava Soma Logic, Code C (Consultant/Contractor), ONL Therapeutics , Code C (Consultant/Contractor), 2C Tech , Code O (Owner), Aurea Medical , Code O (Owner), Alcon , Code P (Patent)
  • Footnotes
    Support  Greenwald Family Research Fund, Research to Prevent Blindness grant to the Department of Ophthalmology University of Colorado Grant # UL1 TR002535
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2023, Vol.64, 2258. doi:
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      Andres Lisker Cervantes, Talisa E de Carlo, Zafar Gill, Jennifer Patnaik, Anne Lynch, Alan G Palestine, Marc T Mathias, Niranjan Manoharan, Nihaal Mehta, William S Gange, Ramya Gnanaraj, Vivian Rajeswaren, Itzam Marin, Amy Huang, Naresh Mandava; Association Between Systemic Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Optical Coherence Tomography Biomarkers in a Geographic Atrophy Cohort. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2023;64(8):2258.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

Purpose : Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays a significant role in driving vascular dysfunction in retinal disease and has become a key therapeutic target for these conditions. In mice, the absence of soluble VEGF promotes drusen accumulation and barrier dysfunction, resulting in the loss of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and underlying choriocapillaris. Links between systemic levels of VEGF and imaging biomarkers that could facilitate accurate prognostic predictions of the risk of progression to advanced AMD are understudied. This study aimed to investigate associations between systemic VEGF and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging biomarkers in eyes with GA secondary to AMD.

Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study of eyes with GA from patients enrolled in the University of Colorado AMD Registry (August 2014 to June 2021). A total of 166 eyes from 97 GA patients were included. Eyes with concomitant retinal and uveitic disease were excluded. Two trained readers evaluated OCT images for the presence of qualitative biomarkers. Systemic VEGF levels were measured by using a standard multiplex assay. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare patients presenting qualitative biomarkers in at least one eye to those lacking biomarkers, with a p-value cut-point set at <0.01.

Results : Lower levels of systemic VEGF were significantly associated with retinal pseudocysts (RP), with a median and interquartile range of 7.7 (5.4, 11.7) for patients with RP compared to those without (10.7 (7.8, 13.8)), p=0.004. VEGF levels did not show differences associated with other OCT biomarkers (Table 1).

Conclusions : This novel study shows that lower systemic VEGF levels were associated with retinal pseudocysts, which have been shown to correspond to an intermediate stage of the atrophic process in GA characterized by the loss of Müller cells before the thinning of the neurosensory retina. Our findings also align with the results of other studies, which demonstrate that intraocular VEGF may play an important role in GA formation and progression. This is relevant since new therapeutic approaches aim to target earlier stages of AMD, possibly identifying a subset of GA patients where VEGF is clinically predictive in the progression of GA.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.

 

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