Vitreous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 are related to diabetic macular edema

Purpose: To investigate whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) is related to diabetic macular edema (DME). Design: Retrospective case-control study. Participants: Thirty-three patients who had DME and 13 patients with nondiabetic ocular disease (control group). Methods: Vitreous fluid samples were obtained at the time of vitreoretinal surgery, and the VEGF and sICAM-1 levels in vitreous fluid and plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Main Outcome Measures: Relationship between vitreous levels of VEGF or sICAM-1 and DME. Results: Vitreous levels of VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in DME patients than in control patients (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0004, respectively). The vitreous level of VEGF was significantly correlated with that of sICAM-1 (P < 0.0001). Vitreous levels of both VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in patients with hyperfluorescent DIVE than in those with minimally fluorescent DME (P = 0.0027 and P = 0.0005, respectively). The vitreous levels of both VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly correlated with retinal thickness at the central fovea (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0005, respectively) Conclusions: We found that both VEGF and sICAM-1 were elevated in the vitreous fluid of patients with hyperfluorescent DME These results suggest that VEGF and ICAM-1 are related to the increase of vascular permeability in DME patients. (c) 2005 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.