Tear film inflammatory mediators in patients with keratoconus

To determine the concentration of inflammatory mediators in the tear film of patients with keratoconus. Basal tears from patients with keratoconus and from normal controls were collected using a capillary tube. Patients with keratoconus were examined in a routine fashion, and keratometric readings were also taken from corneal topographic maps .The concentration of cytokines including Interleukin 6,10,1b and Interferon-γ was measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. Seventy-two subjects were enrolled in the study including 42 patients with keratoconus and 30 normals. Patients with keratoconus had significantly higher levels of Interlukin 6,1b and Interferon-γ (17.49 ± 1.92 pg/ml), (8.58 ± 1.15 pg/ml), and (33.33 ± 7.57 pg/ml) compared with control subjects (13.81 ± 1.71 pg/ml), (4.98 ± 0.52 pg/ml), and (22.99 ± 4.68 pg/ml), ( P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001, and P = 0.0001). But the level of Interlukin-10 in keratoconus patients was significantly lower (6.07 ± 1.35 pg/ml) than controls (8.99 ± 0.70 pg/ml) ( P = 0.0001). We realized that the proinflammatory markers (Interlukin-6,1-b and Interferon-γ) are over expressed, whereas the anti-inflammatory marker (Interlukin-10) is under expressed, indicating that the pathogenesis of keratoconus may involve complex chronic inflammatory events. Additional future studies will reveal the exact molecular and biochemical mechanisms that are required to better manage the disease and halt its progression.