Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 21, 2025
Three Different Protocols of Corneal Collagen Crosslinking in Keratoconus: Conventional, Accelerated and Iontophoresis
Published on: November 12, 2015
Correlation of hair cortisol and interleukin 6 with structural change in the active progression of keratoconus
Larissa R Stival1, Laryssa P Avila, Daniella C Araujo
1From the Department of Ophthalmology at University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Stival, Santhiago); Department of Ophthalmology at Federal University of Goias, Goiania, Brazil (Stival, Avila, Chaves, Toledo); Department of Computer Science at Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Araujo); Nucleus of Toxicopharmacological Studies and Research-NEPET, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, Brazil (Silva, Cunha); Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil (Oliveira).
Purpose:
To evaluate interleukin (IL) and hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) in progressive keratoconus (KC) and compare them with KC-stable eyes and healthy control, and to determine the correlation of these inflammatory mediators and HCCs and their relationship with structural damage represented by increased corneal curvature.
Setting:
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Design:
Prospective observational comparative study.
Methods:
133 eyes of 74 patients were included. The concentrations of tear cytokines: IL1B, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12p70, and tumor necrosis factor α were obtained by capillary flow and measured using a flow cytometer. HCCs were determined from the most proximal hair segment as an index of cumulative secretion and measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.
Results:
133 eyes of 74 patients. Only IL6 was increased in progressive KC tears compared with stable KC (6.59 ± 3.25 pg/mL vs 4.72 ± 1.91 pg/mL; P < .0001) with a positive correlation between IL6 and maximum keratometry (Kmax) (P < .0001). Progressive KC exhibited significantly higher HCC than stable KC (0.624 ± 0.160 ng/mg vs 0.368 ± 0.0647 ng/mg; P < .0001) and healthy controls (0.624 ± 0.160 ng/mg vs 0.351 ± 0.0896 ng/mg; P < .0001). There was a significant correlation between HCC and Kmax (P < .0001).
Conclusions:
KC eyes that are progressing have a higher concentration of IL6 and long-term cortisol than patients with stable forms of KC; second, there is a significant correlation between this increase in IL6 and cortisol with corneal structural damage. Finally, there is a meaningful relationship between this interleukin and the previous few months' cortisol levels.
