Aqueous Humor Cytokines in Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane: Correlation with Disease Severity.

BACKGROUND

To analyze the concentration of aqueous humor (AH) cytokines in eyes with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) and to investigate their potential correlation with disease severity.

METHODS

Retrospective cross-sectional case-control institutional study. A total of 16 eyes of 16 iERM patients and 14 eyes of 14 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. AH samples were analyzed for various biomarkers using a glass-chip protein array. Cytokines associated with inflammation, fibrosis, angiogenesis, and glial signal transduction were quantified.

RESULTS

Significant differences in cytokine concentration were observed between the iERM group and controls, with 19 cytokines elevated in the iERM group (among them IL-6, IL-8, PDGF-AB, PDGF-BB, TGFB-1, TGFB-2, TGFB-3, VEGF A, VEGF C, VEGF D, < 0,05, 95% confidence interval). Correlation analysis revealed associations between cytokine levels and iERM severity. Notably, stages 2, 3, and 4 of iERM demonstrated increased levels of various biomarkers.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides insights into the complex molecular interactions underlying iERM pathogenesis, describing a correlation between neuroinflammation and iERM severity.