Serum and Aqueous Concentrations of Inflammatory Markers in Diabetic Macular Edema

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between the serum and aqueous levels of inflammatory markers and diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods: The study included four patient groups: the healthy control group (n = 23 eyes); the diabetic control group (n = 22 eyes); the groups with and without DME (n = 20 eyes and n = 22 eyes, respectively). The patients were evaluated based on their serum levels of HbA_1c, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum and aqueous levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α).

Results: Statistically significant differences were present for the serum CRP levels and for the aqueous TNF-α levels between the healthy control group and the group with DME (p = 0.004 and p = 0.03, respectively); for the serum TNF-α levels between the healthy control group and the groups without and with DME (p = 0.009 and p = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: Increased serum levels of CRP and serum and aqueous levels of TNF-α in DME suggest that inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of DME.

Keywords:

• C-reactive protein
• diabetic retinopathy
• inflammation
• macular edema
• tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Acknowledgments

We are thankful to the department members, without whose support at various stages, this project would not have materialized. We are also thankful to all the supporting staff at the Institute who directly or indirectly helped us in completing our project.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.