Abstract
Purpose :
Recently, several studies have indicated the following theory. Inflammatory process is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR) provoking retinal tissue damage. And several inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) are increased in the aqueous humor and the vitreous fluids of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Also it is known that those inflammatory cytokines are significantly higher in the vitreous fluids than in the serum.
Laser flare photometry (LFP) is a quantitative method which allows us to evaluate ocular inflammation noninvasively and objectively. The aim of this study is to identify inflammatory cytokines in the aqueous humor associated with aqueous flare in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
Methods :
The study group consisted of 8 eyes of 7 patients with PDR who underwent cataract surgery and vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage and/or tractional retinal detachment (PDR group) and 15 eyes of 12 patients without PDR who underwent cataract surgery (Cat group). Undiluted aqueous humor (AH) was collected during cataract surgery, and levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, and TNFα in AH were measured by beads-array system.
Results :
Although percent detectable of IL-6 and IL-8 in AC were 93.3% and 80% in Cat group and 100% and 87.5% in PDR group, respectively, those of other cytokines were less than 50% in both groups. Aqueous flare and levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were higher in PDR group (15.6 ± 16.4 photons/msec, 679.3 ± 1010 pg/ml, and 21.2 ± 25.4 pg/ml) than in Cat group (6.64 ± 1.41photons/msec, 50.2 ± 50.0 pg/ml, and 5.4 ± 3.5 pg/ml). There were significantly differences in aqueous flare and IL-6 between Cat group and PDR group (P = 0.0129 and P = 0.0282, respectively). In PDR group, aqueous flare was significantly correlated with IL-6 (P = 0.0005), and aqueous flare and IL-6 were also significantly correlated with vitreous IL-6 (P = 0.0242 and P = 0.0158, respectively).
Conclusions :
These results indicate that increase of aqueous flare in eyes with PDR.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.