Influence of anti-VEGF about cardiovascular biomarkers in age related macular degeneration

The objective of the current study was to analyze the effect of anti-VEGF therapy on cardiovascular risk factors in patients with exudative age related macular degeneration. A total of 73 patients with exudative age related macular degeneration (without previous anti-VEGF therapy) were treated with two anti-VEGF: Ranibizumab and Pegaptanib sodium. The follow up was 6 months. The following parameters were determined before and after treatment: homocysteine, lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-c, LDL-c), C-Reactive Protein and fibrinogen. There were not statistically significant differences in parameters studied before and after treatment with both Pegaptanib sodium and Ranibizumab, except C-Reactive Protein. Of all patients analyzed, only 3 of them have initially C-Reactive Protein levels above normal levels and after antiangiogenic therapy, there was a significant increase in C-Reactive Protein. We have not found results in our study who to suspect that treatment with anti-VEGF in the patients with exudative age related macular degeneration increases cardiovascular risk predictors. However, after therapy was increased the CRP and fibrinogen may mean that anti-VEGF contribute an alteration of endothelial homeostasis in exudative AMD.
Source: The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging - Category: Nutrition Source Type: research