ABSTRACT
Diabetic macular edema is a common complication of diabetic retinopathy, and is the main cause of vision decline.Antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents are the first-line therapy for DME, but some patients still have refractory or recurrent macular edema after anti-VEGF treatment.This suggests that the pathogenesis of DME may involve inflammation-related cytokines other than VEGF.With the development of high-throughput detection technology, the analysis of inflammatory cytokines in the intraocular fluid of patients such as aqueous humor and vitreous humor has attracted more and more attention.At the same time, recognizing the impact of current treatments on inflammatory cytokines will help to formulate more efficient treatment plans.This article reviewed the changes of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and intercellular adhesion factor-1 in the course of DME, analyzed the possible mechanisms involved, and discussed the effects of anti-VEGF agents and glucocorticoids on these inflammatory cytokines.