Inflammatory cytokines and retinal nonperfusion area in quiescent proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Mee Yon Lee1, Sangyun Park2, Ji Yoon Song3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
Purpose:
We sought to investigate the association between inflammatory cytokine levels and retinal capillary nonperfusion area in eyes with quiescent proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
Methods:
Samples of aqueous humor were collected from 67 eyes (n = 42 patients) with treatment-naïve PDR. Levels of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were obtained using multiplex bead assay. Areas of capillary nonperfusion at the posterior pole and peripheral retina were measured via ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography and correlated with cytokine levels.
Results:
The levels of IL-10, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and TNF-α were positively correlated with the nonperfusion area of the peripheral retina (r = 0.298, 0.401, 0.265, 0.435, and 0.393; all P ≤ 0.030). There were positive correlations between IL and 10, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and TNF-α (all R ≥ 0.247; all P ≤ 0.043). IL-1β did not show a significant correlation with the nonperfusion area (P = 0.972 for posterior pole and 0.392 for periphery) but was positively correlated with TNF-α (r = 0.334; P = 0.006).
Conclusions:
An increased level of inflammation was observed in PDR eyes with larger nonperfusion areas, which suggests inflammation as a possible target for suppressing PDR progression associated with nonperfusion.
