Ophthalmology in China ›› 2023, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (2): 135-142.doi: 10.13281/j.cnki.issn.1004-4469.2023.02.009

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Cheng Yizhe1, Hu Feng1, Wang Ru2, Dong Zhe1, Miao Jingpeng1, Li Qian1, Chen Chunli1, Wang Ge1, Guan Wenxue1, Peng Xiaoyan1    

  1. 1Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University; Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Beijing 100730, China; 2 Department of Ophthalmology, Xi’an People’s Hospital, Xi’an Fourth Hospital, Shaanxi Eye Hospital, Xi’an 710004, China
  • Received:2023-02-03 Online:2023-03-25 Published:2023-03-31
  • Contact: Peng Xiaoyan, Email: 74000041@ccmu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Capital’s Funds for Health Improvement and Research (sf 2018-2-1081); Key Medical Development Program of Beijing Tongren Hospital (trzdyxzy201801); National Natural Science Foundation of China (82171073)

Abstract: Objective To access the cytokines in aqueous humor (AH) of three entities of tubercular uveitis (TBU), including tubercular serpiginous-like choroiditis (TBSLC), tubercular posterior uveitis and tubercular panuveitis (TPU-TBP) and tubercular retinal vasculitis (TRV). Design A case-control single-center retrospective study. Participants Twenty-six patients with TBU (including six patients with TBSLC, eight patients with TPU-TBP and 12 patients with TRV) were included and 27 patients with senile cataract were enrolled as the control group. Methods Their medical records and imaging data were reviewed and collected. AH samples were obtained at the initial visit or during cataract surgery. Data on the aqueous humor inflammatory cytokines were compared among the groups. The relation between the AH cytokine levels and some clinical characteristics was assessed. Main Outcome Measures Level of VEGF, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-10, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1). Results The expression of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, bFGF and VCAM-1 in patients with TBU were significantly higher (all P<0.001) than that in control. VEGF, IL-6, IL-8 and VCAM-1 were significantly higher in TPU-TBP than in TBSLC (all P<0.05). VEGF was significantly higher in TRV than in TBSLC(P=0.02). No statistically significant differences were found between TPU-TBP and TRV. The expression of VEGF, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and VCAM-1 were significantly higher in patients with severe vitreous opacity (all P<0.05), and no statistically significant differences were found in cytokines in TRV with different severities. The linear regression results showed a positive correlation between the expression of bFGF, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 and the interval time from onset to AH acquiring (P<0.05). Conclusions The different inflammation mechanisms may be involved in the three entities of TBU. The degree of vitreous opacity and the duration after onset could reflect the level of intraocular inflammation. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2023, 32: 135-141)

Key words: tubercular uveitis, choroiditis, cytokines, polymerase chain reaction, retinal vasculitis