Evaluation of IL-6 and IL-8 in Tear Fluid of Sulfur Mustard Gas-Exposed Patients with Eye Lesions

The purpose of this study is to compare the levels of IL-6, 8 in tear fluids of people exposed to mustard gas in the war between Iraq and Iran who had the chronic dry-eye symptoms compared to the normal group. In this study, 25 of the patients who were exposed to mustard gas and had chronic dry eye symptoms were compared to 25 patients as control group, consisting of 25 people who had common chronic dry eye symptoms with blepharitis and 25 healthy people as normal group. The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in tear fluid of people of these three groups were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results for levels of IL-6 (P = 0.002) and IL-8 (P = 0.001) in tear fluid of patients in comparison with normal group show a significant increase. The differences were considered statistically significant at P < 0.05. The effect of exposure to mustard gas on eyes of chemical-injured veterans destroyed meibomian glands which paved the way for evaporative type of dry-eye. As a result, the cited ILs in the tear fluid of these patients increased and resulted in later eye-impairments.