To investigate the relationship between the aqueous concentrations of cytokines, chemokine, VEGF and the severity of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.
MethodsSixty eyes with diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema, and 10 eyes of nondiabetic subjects were followed for 6 months. The aqueous levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors were measured. The aqueous levels of cytokines were investigated according to the severity of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.
ResultsThe aqueous levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1, and VEGF were elevated according to the severity of diabetic retinopathy. The aqueous levels of IL-13 were higher in eyes of diabetic patients than in eyes of nondiabetic subjects, but there were no statistically significant difference between diabetic retinopathy and nondiabetic subjects. The aqueous levels of IL-6, MCP-1, and VEGF were positively correlated with central macular thickness in eyes with diabetic macular edema.
ConclusionsThe aqueous levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1, and VEGF were correlated with the severity of diabetic retinopathy. The aqueous levels of IL-6, MCP-1, and VEGF were positively correlated with the severity of macular edema.