Effect of intravitreal injection of aflibercept on cardiovascular risk parameters in patients with neovascular age related macular degeneration.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic administration of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGFs) has been associated with severe cardiovascular adverse events in oncologic patients. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the short-term effect of a single intravitreal injection of aflibercept on biomarkers related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-seven treatment naïve patients with neovascular age related macular degeneration in one eye were enrolled in the study. The patients underwent treatment with one intravitreal injection of aflibercept in the affected eye. Laboratory biomarkers of cardiovascular disease were evaluated before the first intravitreal injection of aflibercept and at 7 and 30 days after aflibercept administration. More precisely, we evaluated the levels of homocysteine, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and C-reactive protein.

RESULTS: There was not any statistically significant change in the levels of the evaluated parameters up to one month after the first intravitreal injection of aflibercept.

CONCLUSIONS: According to our study, administration of a single dose of aflibercept in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration does not seem to affect the evaluated biomarkers that are related to cardiovascular disease.