Diabetic macular edema refers to swelling (fluid accumulation) in the center of the retina. The retina is like the film of a camera and is located in the back of the eye. This condition can develop in diabetics where swelling results from leaking of fluid from the blood vessels of the eye, into the center of the retina, the macula. If left untreated, this can affect central vision. The current standard treatment for diabetic macular edema includes medications injected directly into the eye (intravitreal injections) and laser eye treatment. The drugs that are injected directly into the eye are known as anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (anti-VEGF) agents which help to reduce the leaking. However, response in patients to these anti-VEGF drugs can vary and examination of predictive factors is required. This particular study examines cellular factors called cytokines in patients receiving aflibercept, a type of anti-VEGF drug, in the hopes of detecting changes in cytokines that can predict treatment response amongst groups of patients.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
16
St. Michael's Hospital Eye Clinic
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Change in cytokine levels (picograms per mL) between baseline aflibercept injection and at 1, 2, and 3 months
Time frame: 3 months
Relation of baseline aqueous cytokine levels to baseline Snellen BCVA in response to aflibercept
Time frame: 3 months
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