Clinical factors related to the aqueous levels of vascular endothelialgrowth factor and hepatocyte growth factor in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

PURPOSE. To investigate clinical factors relatedto the aqueous humor levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) andhepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR). METHODS. Undiluted aqueous humor was obtained during ocular surgery from46 eyes of 46 patients and the levels of growth factors were measured usingenzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. VEGF and HGF levels were compared withthe number of photocoagulation. VEGF and HGF levels in patient groups stratifiedaccording to the existence of vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, andfibrovascular membrane were analyzed. And clinical parameters associated withthe growth factors were determined by multiple regression analysis. RESULTS. The levels of VEGF decreased significantly as the extent of photocoagulationincreased and showed significant positive correlation with the existence ofvitreous hemorrhage. There was no significant correlation between VEGF levelsand the existence of fibrovascular membrane and traction retinal detachment. The levels of HGF also decreased significantly as the extent of photocoagulationincreased, but increased significantly when fibrovascular membrane existed.There were no significant correlations between HGF levels and the existenceof vitreous hemorrhage and traction retinal detachment. Concerning systemic conditions, each growth factor has no significant correlationwith duration and type of diabetes mellitus, the treatment regimen, the controlof hemoglobin A1C, and the existences of hypertension or renal dysfunction. CONCLUSION. The therapeutic effect of panretinal photocoagulation on PDRmight be partly exerted by reduction of the levels of VEGF and HGF in ocularfluid. Since the clinical parameters associated with VEGF were different fromthose associated with HGF, these growth factors might influence the progressionof retinopathy in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]