Analysis of changes in serum levels of endothelin-1 in patients with retinal vein occlusion

Abstract

Aim. To analyze the level of endothelin-1 in blood serum in patients with retinal venous occlusions. Metods. 60 patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) were included in the study. 19 patients were diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion, 9 of them had non-ischemic type and 10 had ischemic type of central retinal vein occlusion. 41 patients had branch retinal vein occlusion, 23 of them had non-ischemic type and 18 had ischemic type of occlusion. Patients underwent fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography fundus imaging. Before intravitreal injection of ranibizumab, the level of endothelin-1 in the blood serum was determined. Analysis was performed in patients’ subgroups depending on the localization of occlusion, type of occlusion, disease relapse, presence of optic disc swelling. 
 Results. Differences in the systemic level of endothelin-1, depending on the localization of occlusion, presence of ischemic type and relapse, the disease was not detected (p ≥0.05). With the development of optic disc swelling, a statistically significant increase in the level of endothelin-1 was noted in peripheral blood: 38.73 fmol/ml in patients with optic disc swelling and 27.65 fmol/ml in patients without it (p=0.018). 
 Conclusion. In patients with optic disc swelling a statistically significant increase of endothelin-1 in blood was revealed.