Comparison of aqueous concentrations of angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines based on optical coherence tomography patterns of diabetic macular edema.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose was to compare aqueous inflammatory and angiogenic cytokine levels in diabetic macular edema (DME). Materials and Methods: Aqueous samples were obtained from 50 eyes with DME and 12 normal eyes (control group). DME was classified according to the morphologic pattern based on optical coherence tomography Diffuse retinal thickening (DRT; n = 19), cystoid macular edema (CME; n = 17), or serous retinal detachment (SRD; n = 14). Aqueous samples were collected just before intravitreal injection and at the beginning of cataract surgery in the control group. Interleukin (IL)‑6, IL‑8, interferon‑induced protein (IP)‑10, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)‑1, platelet‑derived growth factor (PDGF)‑AA, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were measured by multiplex bead assay. Results: The IL‑6, IL‑8, IP‑10, and PDGF‑AA levels differed significantly among the three groups of DME (P = 0.014, P = 0.038, P = 0.021, and P = 0.041, respectively). However, there were no differences between groups in aqueous concentration levels of MCP‑1 and VEGF (P = 0.205 and P = 0.062, respectively). IL‑6 (P = 0.026) and IL‑8 (P = 0.023) correlated positively with central foveal thickness (CFT) in the CME group. None of the cytokine levels correlated significantly with CFT in any of the DRT and SRD groups. Conclusions: Aqueous concentrations of cytokines varied according to the morphologic pattern of DME, which might explain the variable response to treatments such as intravitreal bevacizumab or triamcinolone injection.