The relationship between inflammatory mediator expression in the aqueous humor and secondary glaucoma incidence after silicone oil tamponade

The expression of inflammatory mediators in the aqueous humor and the incidence of secondary glaucoma after vitreous body resection combined with silicone oil tamponade for patients with retinal detachment were inestigated, and the roles of IL-17, IL-6 and TNF-α in secondary glaucoma after silicone oil tamponade were analyzed. Fifty-eight cases of retinal detachment treated by vitrectomy combined with silicone oil tamponade were examined at the time of silicone oil removal surgery. All patients underwent unilateral surgery. Patients were divided into observation (19 cases with) and control (39 cases without) groups depending on development of secondary glaucoma. Prior to silicone oil removal, expression levels of IL-17, IL-6 and TNF-α in the aqueous humor were examined. IL-17, IL-6 and TNF-α levels in the aqueous humor in the observation group were 204.2±18.3, 351.1±28.4 and 850.0±51.7 pg/ml, respectively, vs. 152.3±22.2, 254.4±26.8 and 625.6±61.2 pg/ml, respectively in the control group (P<0.001). The expression of IL-17 was positively correlated with those of IL-6 and TNF-α (r=0.687, 0.745; P<0.001). IL-17, IL-6 and TNF-α presented good diagnostic values for glaucoma. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) areas were 0.957, 0.980 and 0.975, respectively (P<0.001). The expression of inflammatory mediators such as IL-17, IL-6 and TNF-α in the aqueous humor of patients with secondary glaucoma after silicone oil tamponade significantly increased relative to patients without secondary glaucoma. The resultant inflammation may be involved in the development of secondary glaucoma.