4.5. Data Analysis

A total of 58 samples were collected from patients. Any sample that did not meet standards of quality as described above, including retrieval and/or transport and was excluded from the analysis. Blank samples that contained little or no eicosanoids across the board <5 pg/mL for multiple analyses were excluded. If any of the eicosanoids were present in the sample at a concentration >5 pg/mL, then the values for all the analytes were included in the analysis. Overall, 31 PDR samples and 13 control samples were included in the data analysis. Sixteen of the 31 PDR samples were from TRD eyes, and 15 samples were collected from non-TRD eyes (vitreous hemorrhage). A comparison of the values obtained in TRD eyes versus non-TRD eyes (vitreous hemorrhage) was also performed. As half of TRD eyes were treated with bevacizumab (8/16), only those samples that were treated with bevacizumab in both groups (TRD and VH) were compared to each other to better isolate the effect of the disease state on eicosanoid levels rather than the potential influence of bevacizumab. The 13 control vitreous samples were obtained from the eyes of patients that underwent vitrectomy for reasons other than diabetic retinopathy. The control samples included 4 with epiretinal membranes, 5 rhegmatogenous retinal detachments, 2 macular holes, 1 posterior vitreous detachment opacity (floater), and 1 vitreous hemorrhage (macroaneurysm from hypertension).