The role of VEGF in intermediate uveitis patients

Purpose Intermediate uveitis (IU) represents a chronic type of uveitis which usually manifests at young adult age with the vitreous and peripheral retina as the major sites of the inflammation. The cause and pathogenesis of IU are not known. Cystoid macular edema (CME) is the main cause of permamnent visual loss in IU. Cytokines and chemokines play a major role in the pathogenesis and persistence of intraocular inflammation. The era of anti VEGF biologics opens the new possible way of treatment of uveitic macular edema of which scarce reports are found until now. Methods Prospective cohort study. We compare the intraocular VEGF profiles in 30 patients with IU with various stages of inflammatory activity and 10 healthy controls with cataract and no uveitis in whom the AqH samples were collected during cataract surgery. Comparison was also made between the 7 IUpatients with and 23 IU patients without cystoid macular edema; for 10 IU patients with active and 20 with nonactive IU. Concentrations were measured by multiplex immunoassay method in the aqueous humor. Results There were no statistically significant differences IU patients/control group (P= 0.293); for the IU with/without CME (P=0.666);for active/not active IU (P=0.502). Conclusion Although there are many known and unknown factors influencing vascular permeability in macular edema there is a question of reasonableness of treating the CME with intravitreal anti VEGF in IU patients with CME.