Intravitreal Ranibizumab and Aqueous Humor Factors/Cytokines in Major and Macular Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion.

Aqueous humor levels of cytokines and growth/inflammatory factors were measured in 38 patients with macular edema who had major branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) or macular BRVO and were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IRI). Patients with recurrence of macular edema received further IRI as needed. Aqueous humor levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble VEGF receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1), and other cytokines/factors were measured. Compared with major BRVO, macular BRVO was associated with lower aqueous humor levels of sVEGFR-1, its ligands (VEGF and placental growth factor), and other growth/inflammatory factors (platelet-derived growth factor-AA, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8). The mean number of IRI over 6 months was significantly lower in the macular BRVO group than in the major BRVO group. These findings suggest that macular BRVO requires fewer IRI than major BRVO and is associated with lower aqueous humor levels of various growth/inflammatory factors and cytokines.