Vacular Endothelial Growth Factor I a Critical timulu for Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpoe The role of vacular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in diabetic macular edema (DME) wa teted with ranibizumab, a pecific antagonit of VEGF. Deign A nonrandomized clinical trial. Method Ten patient with chronic DME received intraocular injection of 0.5 mg of ranibizumab at baeline and at one, two, four, and ix month. The primary outcome wa change in foveal thickne between baeline and even month, and the econdary outcome meaure were change from baeline in viual acuity and macular volume. Reult Mean value at baeline were 503 μm for foveal thickne, 9.22 mm3 for macular volume, and 28.1 letter (20/80) read on an Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy tudy (ETDR) viual acuity chart. At even month (one month after the fifth injection), the mean foveal thickne wa 257 μm, which wa a reduction of 246 μm (85% of the exce foveal thickne preent at baeline; P = .005 by Wilcoxon igned-rank tet for likelihood that thi change i due to ranibizumab rather than chance). The macular volume wa 7.47 mm3, which wa a reduction of 1.75 mm3 (77% of the exce macular volume at baeline; P = .009). Mean viual acuity wa 40.4 letter (20/40), which wa an improvement of 12.3 letter (P = .005). The injection were well-tolerated with no ocular or ytemic advere event. Concluion Intraocular injection of ranibizumab ignificantly reduced foveal thickne and improved viual acuity in 10 patient with DME, which demontrated that VEGF i an important therapeutic target for DME. A randomized, controlled, double-maked trial i needed to tet whether intraocular injection of ranibizumab provide long-term benefit to patient with DME.