Phospholipase A2 content of aqueous humour in cataract patients

In order to determine the content of group II phospholipase A2 in the aqueous humour we studied 41 cataract patients including 8 men and 33 women with age ranging between 65 and 92 (mean +/- SD being 77.0 +/- 6.7) years. In all patients preoperative biomicroscopy showed neither aqueous flare nor cells. Eleven patients (26.8%) had pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Aqueous humour tap was done at the beginning of cataract surgery before perforating the corneoscleral wound. We used time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for the detection of group II phospholipase A2 in the aqueous humour. The group II phospholipase A2 content in the aqueous humor varied between less than measurable (in 23 patients) and 3.3 ng/ml, with an interquartile range from less than measurable to 1.4 ng/ml. There was no significant difference in the group II phospholipase A2 content of the aqueous humour whether or not the patient had pseudoexfoliation syndrome. The results show that the aqueous humour of cataract patients contains only minute amounts of group II phospholipase A2.