Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate the relationship between serum inflammatory mediators and AMD disease activity.
Methods:
Serum samples from 30 AMD patients under anti-VEGF therapy and 30 age-matched controls were analyzed. Samples were examined for 16 inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IL-23, IFNγ, TNFα, TNFβ) using a fully quantitative ELISA-based tests (Q-Plex™ Human Cytokine arrays).
Results:
IL-1a, IL-1b and IL-17 were almost undetectable in control group. IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-17 and IFN-γ had a significant higher concentrations compared to control group (t-test, p-values = 0.02; 0.03; 0.04; 0.05; 0.03; 0.001; 009 respectively). A significant correlation was evident between the serum level of IL1a, IL-13, IL-23, and macular drusen (p-value =0.008; 0.019; 0.025; respectively, Pearson’s correlation), IL-6 has a significant correlation with the presence of occult CNV (p-value = 0.032; Pearson’s correlation). IL-2, IL-5, IL-15, IL-17 showed a significant correlation to the central retinal thickness (CRT) (p-value = 0.025, 0.034, 0.02, 0.017; respectively, Pearson’s correlation). One-way ANOVA analysis showed that CRT differed significantly as a function of serum IL-17, (F (1) =10, p-value<0.05). As well, using linear regression, it was a significant predictor (β= -0.888, p-value < 0.05). Also it showed a significant regression pattern in relation to retinal pigment epithelium detachment (β= 0.037, p-value <0.05).
Conclusions:
Detection of high level of some of inflammatory cytokines supports a role for inflammation in AMD pathogenesis. IL-17 was the most significantly associated cytokine with the disease activity in term of exudation and retinal thickening.
Keywords: 412 age-related macular degeneration •
557 inflammation