Researchers at Johns Hopkins say “yes.”
In a study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight, researchers investigated whether measurable levels of certain proteins in the eye could be used as predictors of disease stabilization versus progression despite treatment.
The study details.
The team collected aqueous samples from 38 patients at the beginning of their treatment for macular degeneration at the Wilmer Eye Institute between 2013 and 2020. The patients were grouped based on the frequency with which they required treatment at the end of 1 year. The researchers then screened the samples of each of these groups for proteins linked to the development of abnormal blood vessels.
What did they find?
Among the proteins present, the researchers found that one particular protein, angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4), was present at higher levels in patients who required monthly treatment with anti-VEGF therapy compared with patients who could be effectively treated with less frequent injections.
The take home.
The researchers concluded that their findings provide an assay that can help predict the response of patients with neovascular AMD to anti-VEGF monotherapy. They also suggested that therapies targeting both ANGPTL4 and VEGF proteins will be a more effective approach for the treatment of this blinding disease. (via)