title: A flow cytometric analysis of vitreous inflammatory cells in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate inflammatory cells in vitreous from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) using flow cytometric analysis. Twenty-eight patients with PDR requiring vitrectomy because of macular traction or tractional retinal detachment were enrolled in the study (n = 28), and 6 patients with macular hole (MH) formed the control group. Samples of vitreous and peripheral venous blood were obtained at the beginning of vitrectomy. T lymphocytes were found in vitreous from patients with PDR, and CD4/CD8 ratio was higher in vitreous (median 4.3) compared to blood (median 1.9; P = 0.003). No B lymphocytes were detected in vitreous. The percentage of histiocytes/macrophages was significantly higher in vitreous (median 62.1) in comparison with blood (median 5.5; P < 0.0001). No lymphocytes were detected in vitreous of the control group. There were more T lymphocytes in vitreous from patients with active PDR. No association between cells in the vitreous and visual acuity improvement after surgery was found. In conclusion, T lymphocytes are found in vitreous from patients with PDR and reflect the activity of PDR but do not seem to predict visual prognosis. Higher CD4/CD8 ratio in vitreous compared to blood from patients with PDR is consistent with local inflammatory response in PDR.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Eye Hospital, Grablovičeva 46, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mojca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urbančič
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kloboves Prevodnik
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petrovič
authors.forename: Mojca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Globočnik Petrovič
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000473:pathology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology*