[Quantitative evaluation of aqueous flare in psoriasis using a laser flare-cell meter]

We evaluated aqueous humor protein concentration in psoriasis using a laser flare-cell meter, which can quantify aqueous flare precisely and objectively. Psoriatic severity was evaluated on the basis of psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score. Aqueous flare was measured in 40 eyes of 20 psoriasis patients (sixteen psoriasis vulgaris, three guttate psoriasis, and one psoriatic arthritis) and 28 eyes of 14 normal controls. Aqueous flare value was significantly higher in psoriatic patients than in normal controls (p < 0.01). There was no difference between psoriasis vulgaris and the other types of psoriasis. Aqueous flare value was higher in patients with psoriatic history longer than 10 years than in those with less than 10 years (p < 0.05), and also higher in patients with severe psoriasis (PASI score > 10) than in those with mild psoriasis (PASI score < 10) (p < 0.05). But no statistically significant differences in aqueous flare value were found among cyclosporin, etretinate, and psoralen ultra violet A therapies. These findings strongly suggest that patients suffering from psoriasis have slight damage of the blood-aqueous barrier even if they have no ocular symptoms, and that the degree of blood-aqueous barrier damage increases with time and severity of psoriasis.