Table_2_Association between inflammatory cytokines in the aqueous humor and hyperreflective foci on optical coherence tomography in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.DOCX

PurposeTo investigate the associations between cytokine levels in the aqueous humor (AH) and hyperreflective foci (HF) on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).MethodsThe prospective study included 63 eyes with nAMD, 44 with PCV, and 43 with cataracts (Controls). AH samples were obtained before anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy or cataract surgery. Cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-10, interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), and VEGF were measured by multiplex bead assay. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and the number of HF were evaluated at baseline and 1 month after anti-VEGF treatment.ResultsNo significances difference in IL-6 and IL-8 levels were noted among the three groups (P = 0.370 and P = 0.067). VEGF, IP-10, and IL-10 levels were significantly higher in nAMD and PCV groups than in Controls (all P < 0.05). In nAMD, HF was positively correlated with VEGF (rs = 0.300, P = 0.025) and in eyes with HF group, VEGF and IL-10 were significantly higher than those without HF (P = 0.008 and P = 0.022). In PCV, no correlation was observed between HF and cytokines (all P > 0.05). After anti-VEGF treatment, patients with HF in nAMD and PCV were predisposed to worse visual outcomes (P = 0.022 and P = 0.015) and a significantly greater reduction in CMT (P = 0.001 and P = 0.057). And nAMD patients with HF were more sensitive to anti-VEGF treatment than those without HF (P = 0.029).ConclusionsIn the nAMD group, HF was positively correlated with VEGF. Patients in nAMD with HF had elevated levels of VEGF and IL-10 and responded favorably to anti-VEGF. HF might serve as an inflammatory biomarker and a predictive factor for therapeutic efficacy in patients with nAMD.

研究目的：探究水样液中细胞因子水平与新生血管性年龄相关性黄斑变性（nAMD）及息肉状脉络膜血管病变（PCV）患者光谱域光学相干断层扫描（SD-OCT）图像中的高反射焦点（HF）之间的关联。研究方法：前瞻性研究纳入63只患有nAMD的眼，44只患有PCV的眼，以及43只患有白内障（对照组）的眼。在抗血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）治疗或白内障手术前收集水样液样本。通过多重 bead 测定法测量细胞因子白细胞介素6（IL-6）、IL-8、IL-10、干扰素诱导蛋白10（IP-10）、单核细胞趋化蛋白1（MCP-1）和VEGF。在基线和抗VEGF治疗1个月后评估最佳矫正视力（BCVA）、中心黄斑厚度（CMT）及HF数量。研究结果：三组之间IL-6和IL-8水平无显著差异（P = 0.370 和 P = 0.067）。nAMD和PCV组VEGF、IP-10和IL-10水平显著高于对照组（均P < 0.05）。在nAMD中，HF与VEGF呈正相关（rs = 0.300，P = 0.025）；在HF组，VEGF和IL-10水平显著高于无HF组（P = 0.008 和 P = 0.022）。在PCV中，未观察到HF与细胞因子之间的相关性（均P > 0.05）。抗VEGF治疗后，nAMD和PCV中HF患者的视力预后较差（P = 0.022 和 P = 0.015），CMT减少幅度显著更大（P = 0.001 和 P = 0.057）。nAMD中HF患者对抗VEGF治疗更敏感，优于无HF患者（P = 0.029）。研究结论：在nAMD组中，HF与VEGF呈正相关。nAMD中HF患者的VEGF和IL-10水平升高，对抗VEGF治疗反应良好。HF可能作为炎症生物标志物，并成为nAMD患者治疗有效性的预测因素。