Abstract
Background and Aims
Intravenous (IV) anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is a potent anti-angiogenic factor for the treatment of solid tumours. While, intravitreal anti-VEGF injection is used in the treatment for macular and retinal diseases. The effects of IV anti-VEGF agents are well documented to cause hypertension, renal impairment and proteinuria. However only few reports showed the significance of intravitreal anti-VEGF injection causing minimal change disease (MCD) and acute kidney injury (AKI). Hence, this study is to determine the outcome of renal function following intravitreal anti-VEGF injection.
Method
This is a prospective, cross sectional study recruiting patients from ophthalmology day-care operation theatre that were scheduled for intravitreal anti-VEGF injection in University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). On the day of the injection of anti-VEGF, patients’ demographic data (age, gender, medical background, medications), blood pressure, height, weight and investigations for serum creatinine and urine protein creatinine ratio (PCR) were collected. Following these, they will receive the intravitreal anti-VEGF as per schedule. All these patients were given a follow-up within 72hours to reassess blood pressure, serum creatinine and urine PCR.
Results
A total of 90 patients were recruited. However, 15 patients were subsequently excluded as there was no repeated serum creatinine at 72-hours post treatment. Their mean age was 67.25 ± 10.41. Among all, 3 patients had significance increased in serum creatinine (4%) with significance changed of urine PCR post treatment. Table 1 showed baseline parameters prior to treatment and table 2 was post treatment parameters.
Higher serum creatinine and proteinuria pre intravitreal anti-VEGF were identified to have higher OR of 1.018 (95% CI 1.001-1.035) (p=0.043) and OR 1.004 (1.000-1.007) (p=0.025) respectively among those who developed AKI. In assessing the association between higher pre-treatment creatinine and proteinuria (independent variable) and development of AKI (dependent variable) estimated by logistic regression with no AKI as a reference group we found that there were no significance.
Conclusion
Following intravitreal anti-VEGF administration, there were no significant changes in blood pressure. However, 4% from our cohort had AKI and worsening proteinuria at 72 hours post treatment. These patients had higher serum creatinine and proteinuria prior to treatment. However, our study is underpowered to establish the relationship between intravitreal anti-VEGF and development of AKI. Further study with larger sample size and longer-term outcome is needed.
Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in Human Embryo Implantation: Clinical Implications