Vitreous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 are related to diabetic macular edema.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) is related to diabetic macular edema (DME).
DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-three patients who had DME and 13 patients with nondiabetic ocular disease (control group).
METHODS: Vitreous fluid samples were obtained at the time of vitreoretinal surgery, and the VEGF and sICAM-1 levels in vitreous fluid and plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relationship between vitreous levels of VEGF or sICAM-1 and DME.
RESULTS: Vitreous levels of VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in DME patients than in control patients (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0004, respectively). The vitreous level of VEGF was significantly correlated with that of sICAM-1 (P < 0.0001). Vitreous levels of both VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in patients with hyperfluorescent DME than in those with minimally fluorescent DME (P = 0.0027 and P = 0.0005, respectively). The vitreous levels of both VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly correlated with retinal thickness at the central fovea (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0005, respectively)
CONCLUSIONS: We found that both VEGF and sICAM-1 were elevated in the vitreous fluid of patients with hyperfluorescent DME. These results suggest that VEGF and ICAM-1 are related to the increase of vascular permeability in DME patients.