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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Background: Cataract is a condition where the clear lens of the eye becomes dull. Diabetes mellitus is well known disease that accelerate cataract progression. Cytokines are low molecular weight proteins that mediate the immune response. Low-grade chronic inflammation and activation of the innate immune system are strongly related to the diabetes mellitus pathogenesis. Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and certain other chemokines are inflammatory mediators are influenced in the development of diabetes and its complications._x000D_ Objective: To evaluate and correlate the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-α in the aqueous humor of eyes of diabetic and non-diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery._x000D_ Patients and Methods: Seventy cataract patients (51 males and 19 females) were included, their ages ranging from 21 to 95 years. Intracameral cytokines IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-α were detected using ELISA._x000D_ Results: TNF-α significantly increased in the aqueous humor of diabetic patients more than in that of the non-diabetic ones (p-value < 0.05). The aqueous humor contained detectable IL-2 levels more frequently in diabetic patients. This difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). On the other hand, IL-6 was more frequently detectable in the eyes of the non-diabetic patients._x000D_ Conclusions: The distribution of cytokines in the aqueous sampling shows that TNF-α levels were higher in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients. On the other hand, IL-6 levels were higher in non-diabetic patients than in diabetic patients. With regard to IL-2, there was no significant difference._x000D_

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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