LEVEL OF SERUM VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR (VEGF) IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCE D DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Abstract

Introduction: Though the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy is multifactorial, one of the key events is the growth of new blood vessels in retinal tissues. In some studies, the vaso-proliferative agent, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), has been implicated as the mediator of neovascularization in diabetic retinopathy. The objective of the present study was to compare the levels of serum VEGF in advanced diabetic retinopathy patients with diabetic non-retinopathy patients and normal healthy controls.
Methods: The comparative study was conducted from June to November 2010 in the outpatient and inpatients department of three major hospitals of Peshawar and one eye hospital from Islamabad, in which 45 diabetic patients with retinopathy were compared with 38 diabetic patients without retinopathy, and 39 healthy individuals. Retinopathy group were further designated as diabetic non-proliferative retinopathy (DNPDR, n=20) and diabetic proliferative retinopathy (DPDR, n=25). Serum VEGF was done by ELISA. Data were analyzed for descriptive statistics by SPSS 14; p≤0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Serum VEGF was significantly higher (p <0.001) in DNPDR (202.60 ± 81.75 pg/ml) and DPDR (247.20 ± 85.79 pg/ml) patients than DNR (92.67 ±29.95 pg/ml) patients and normal healthy controls (28.30 ± 6.86 pg/ml).
Conclusion: Diabetic patients with retinopathy have significantly raised serum VEGF levels compared to Diabetic patients without retinopathy and normal healthy individuals; the levels are highest in female patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.