Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34731094›Full record

ArticleRetina (Philadelphia, Pa.)2022

CHANGES IN SYSTEMIC LEVELS OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR AFTER INTRAVITREAL INJECTION OF AFLIBERCEPT OR BROLUCIZUMAB FOR NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

Reinhard Angermann, Anna Lena Huber, Yvonne Nowosielski, Stefan Salcher, Thomas Gasser, Christof Seifarth, Martina T Kralinger, Claus Zehetner

Open access · hybridAbstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Intravitreal therapy-success stories and challenges.Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) · 2025
    Review
  6. Real-world therapy and persistence of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema: a German claims data analysis.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Short-term outcomes of intravitreal faricimab for treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2023
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Reinhard AngermannDepartment of Ophthalmology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Anna Lena HuberDepartment of Ophthalmology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Yvonne NowosielskiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Stefan SalcherDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Thomas GasserDepartment of Ophthalmology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Christof SeifarthDepartment of Ophthalmology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Martina T KralingerDepartment of Ophthalmology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Claus ZehetnerDepartment of Ophthalmology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Innsbruck Medical University · AT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo analyze and compare the effects of intravitreal brolucizumab versus aflibercept on systemic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A levels in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

methodsIn this prospective interventional case series study, brolucizumab (6.0 mg/50 µL) or aflibercept (2.0 mg/50 µL) was injected intravitreally in 30 patients each. Blood samples were drawn at baseline and 7 days and 28 days after the first injection. Systemic VEGF-A levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Thirty healthy individuals served as controls.

resultsThe median baseline systemic VEGF-A levels in the brolucizumab, aflibercept, and control groups were 10.8 (8.0-13.2), 12.0 (8.0-18.5), and 10.0 (8.0-15.1) pg/mL, respectively (P = 0.315). In the brolucizumab group, VEGF-A levels significantly decreased to 8.0 (8.0-11.5) pg/mL on Day 7 (P = 0.0254) and to 8.0 (8.0-8.0) pg/mL on Day 28 (P < 0.001). In the aflibercept group, VEGF-A levels significantly decreased to 8.0 (8.0-8.0) pg/mL on Day 7 (P < 0.001) but returned to the baseline level, 12.5 (8.5-14.6) pg/mL, on Day 28 (P = 0.120). Vascular endothelial growth factor-A levels were significantly different between the treatment groups after 28 days (P < 0.001).

conclusionIntravitreal brolucizumab resulted in a sustained reduction of systemic VEGF-A levels until 28 days posttreatment, which raises concerns regarding its safety and long-term effects.

Indexed as

AgedAged, 80 and overAngiogenesis InhibitorsAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedChoroidal NeovascularizationComputed Tomography AngiographyC-Reactive ProteinEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayFemaleFluorescein AngiographyHumansIntravitreal InjectionsMalePlacenta Growth FactorProspective StudiesReceptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth FactorafliberceptAngiogenesis InhibitorsAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedbrolucizumabC-Reactive ProteinPGF protein, humanPlacenta Growth FactorReceptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth FactorRecombinant Fusion ProteinsVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AVEGFA protein, human

Identifiers

PMID34731094
PMCPMC8852685
OpenAlexW3208966868

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.