Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

The study included 20 patients with diabetes mellitus type I (DM I) and 16 with type II (DM II) suffering from prolipherative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) for which they underwent vitrectomy. The quantity of VEGF and its receptors in the vitreous of investigated patients were measured by immunoassay and results compared between patients with DM I and II. The mean levels in the vitreous were significantly higher in diabetics with PDR and diabetes mellitus I (432.2 pg/mL, 1460.4 pg/mL and 1054.6 pg/mL) than in diabetics with PDR and diabetes mellitus II (147.5 pg/mL, 641.4 pg/mL and 448.5 pg/mL) and in control group (63.26 pg/mL). Considering that VEGF VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 levels were significantly higher in diabetics with PDR than in controls and that the patients with DM I had higher levels than with DM II, anti-VEGF therapy might be beneficial for diabetics with PDR, especially those with DM I.