BACKGROUND: ROP is a leading cause of childhood blindness, with inflammation influencing its progression. Tear fluid serves as a non-invasive medium for assessing biomarkers.
AIM: This study examines key inflammatory cytokines in tear fluid to identify biomarkers for ROP progression and severity.
METHODS: Eighty preterm infants were grouped by ROP severity (No, Mild, Moderate, Severe; n =20 each). Tear fluid cytokine levels were measured via ELISA and compared using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc tests.
RESULTS: The levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly different across ROP severity groups; higher concentrations in moresevere stages of ROP/moderate and severe than those in no ROP and mild ROP. However, no significant differences were found among the groups regarding IL-10, IL-17, and IL-22. In pairwise comparisons, the levels of IL-1 and IL-6 in most of the ROP severity groups showed significant differences according to the Bonferroni post hoc analysis, while no significant differences were observed regarding IL-10, IL-17, and IL-22.
CONCLUSION: The study further reveals that increased levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in tear fluid correlate with the severity of ROP. These findings suggest that tear fluid inflammatory cytokines may be regarded as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis and follow-up of ROP. This non-invasive approach presents a new opportunity for monitoring the disease process and assisting in clinical decisions. These observations need further confirmation and studies on their clinical application.
Eye (2026) 40:383–389; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-025-04176-4
Thank you. These markers can be influenced by the laser or antiVEGF treatment, as well.