Purpose: To measure cytokine concentrations in aqueous humor of eyes with diffuse diabetic macular edema.
Methods: The interventional clinical comparative study included a study group of 23 patients with diffuse diabetic macular edema, who received an intravitreal drug injection, and a control group of 22 patients undergoing cataract surgery were compared. Cytokine concentrations were measured in aqueous humor samples using a Luminex xMAP suspension array technology.
Results: In the study group as compared to the control group, significantly higher concentrations were measured for epidermal growth factor (EGF)(P<0.001), human growth factor (HGF)(P<0.001), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1)(P<0.001), interleukin 1a2 (IL1a2)(P=0.04), interleukin 6 (IL6)(P=0.001), interleukin 8 (IL 8)(P<0.001), interferon-gamma induced protein (IP10)(P=0.004), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)(P<0.001), monokine induced by interferon gamma (MIG)(P<0.001), matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1)(P=0.02), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9)(P<0.001), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI1)(P<0.001), placenta growth factor (PlGF) (P<0.001), tissue growth factor beta (TGF-ß) (P=0.003), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)(P<0.001), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)(P<0.001). Retinal macula thickness was significantly associated with the concentrations of the EGF (P=0.004; correlation coefficient r=0.46), ICAM1 (P<0.001;r=0.60), IL3 (P=0.003;r=0.47), IL6 (P<0.001;r=0.55), IL8 (P<0.001;r=0.72), MCP-1 (P<0.001;r=0.58), MIG (P<0.001;r=0.55), MMP9 (P<0.001;r=0.63), TGF-ß (P=0.03;r=0.37), PlGF (P<0.001;r=0.59), VCAM (P=0.005;r=0.45), and VEGF (P=0.001;r=0.52). In multivariate analysis, macular thickness remained to be significantly associated with the concentration of ICAM1 (P=0.006;r=0.40).
Conclusions: Numerous cytokines are associated with the presence and the amount of diabetic macular edema. Among these cytokines, ICAM1 was the most significantly associated with the disease parameters.
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