Intravitreal injection of aflibercept, an anti-VEGF antagonist, down-regulates plasma von Willebrand factor in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the association between von Willebrand factor (VWF) and exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 114 Japanese patients. Intravitreal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor is the most effective therapy for AMD. Therefore, we analyzed changes of VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) and VWF multimers (VWFMs) after intravitreal injection of aflibercept, an anti-VEGF antagonist. The relationship between polymorphisms in complement factor H (p.Y402H and p.I62V) and AMD was previously reported. In our patients, p.I62V, but not p.Y402H, was significantly associated with an increased risk of AMD. Pre-treatment plasma levels of VWF:Ag in patients with AMD were significantly higher than those in controls. Unusually large VWFMs (UL-VWFMs) were detected in the majo

SUBMITTER: Yamashita M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5784081 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature