Systemic counterregulatory response of placental growth factor levels to intravitreal aflibercept therapy

• Published in: Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 2015-05, Vol.56 (5), p.3279-3286
• Main Authors: Zehetner, Claus, Bechrakis, Nikolaos E, Stattin, Martin, Kirchmair, Rudolf, Ulmer, Hanno, Kralinger, Martina T, Kieselbach, Gerhard F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized - administration & dosage; Bevacizumab; Cytokines - blood; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Intravitreal Injections; Macular Degeneration - blood; Macular Degeneration - drug therapy; Male; Placenta Growth Factor; Pregnancy Proteins - blood; Prospective Studies; Ranibizumab; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor - administration & dosage; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - administration & dosage; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - antagonists & inhibitors; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood; Visual Acuity
• ISSN: 1552-5783; 1552-5783
• DOI: 10.1167/iovs.15-16686

Placental growth factor (PlGF) has been implicated as a contributor to resistance against anti-VEGF therapy. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the systemic levels of PlGF, VEGF-A, and VEGF-B in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) after treatment with aflibercept, ranibizumab, or bevacizumab. Totals of 19 patients were treated with intravitreal aflibercept, 19 with ranibizumab, and 18 with bevacizumab. The cytokine levels were measured by ELISA just before the injection, and 7 days and 1 month thereafter. Age- and sex-matched participants (n = 22) served as controls. The median PlGF plasma concentration at baseline was