Background Many authors have hypothesised that oxidative stress and exudative age related macular degeneration (AMD) share common antecedents and proposed that novel biomarkers associated with oxidative stress should be evaluated for their potential relationship with AMD.

Purpose To analyse the effect of anti-VEGF therapy as biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with AMD.

Material and methods 73 patients with exudative AMD with no previous anti-VEGF treatment were treated with two anti-VEGF treatments: ranibizumab and pegaptanib. Average age was 71 years (55–82) and there were 40 women and 33 men. Patients were selected in the ophthalmology service. 37 patients received 0.3 mg of pegaptanib (every 6 weeks) and 36 patients received 0.5 mg of ranibizumab (every 4 weeks). The follow-up was 6 months.

AMD patients were diagnosed and underwent an eye examination consisting of the following tests: corrected visual acuity-far/near; biomicroscopy of anterior segment; intraocular pressure measurement; retinography, angiography; and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Blood samples were collected from the median cubital vein. Parameters were determined before and after antiangiogenic therapy: total antioxidant activity (TAS), reduced and oxidised glutathione (GSH/GSSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and protein carbonyl groups.

The parameters were measured using the following methods: ORAC, colorimetric determination, Plagia and Valentine, Anderson, Randox and ELISA kit, respectively.

Results The average results were (pegaptanib and ranibizumab, respectively): TAS (166.6 ± 20.4 µM Trolox and 202.4 ± 27.4 µM Trolox), GSH/GSSH (8.2 ± 1.4 µM and 6.2 ± 1.1 µM), GPx (7149.1 ± 2120 U/L and 7328.1 ± 1954 U/L), GR (54.1 ± 3.4 U/L and 50.6 ± 2.9 U/L), SOD (885.8 ± 25.4 Ug/Hb and 815.8 ± 75.8 Ug/Hb), carbonyl groups (72.1 ± 7.0 µmol/mg and 68.3 ± 4.1 µmol/mg).

After antiangiogenic therapies, all average values except carbonyl groups decreased slightly but there were no significant differences. However, the average value of carbonyl groups was increased but there were no significant differences.

Conclusion There was no statistically significant difference in the results but pegaptanib and ranibizumab may disturb the homeostatic maintenance of oxidative stress.

References and/or Acknowledgements

1. Pujol-Lereis LM. Interrelation between oxidative stress and complement activation in models of age-related macular degeneration. Adv Exp Med Biol 2016;854:87-93.

2. Stress oxidative and age related macular degeneration. Induced oxidative stress: role in diseases and biological effects. Nova Science Publishers, 2013.

References and/or AcknowledgementsThe authors acknowledge the collaboration of UCAM.

No conflict of interest.