title: Cytokine changes in tears and relationship to contact lens discomfort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the reproducibility of a multiplex bead assay for measuring cytokines in tears and correlations between ocular discomfort with or without contact lens wear and the concentration of cytokines in tears.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety participants (divided into two groups) were enrolled in this prospective study. They were asked to rate their ocular comfort and collect their tears in the morning and just before sleep for 10 days with or without contact lenses. The participants collected their tears using a glass microcapillary tube for both stages. Galyfilcon A lenses were worn on a daily disposable basis during the contact lens stage, and comfort scores and tears were collected before lens insertion and prior to lens removal at the end of the day. Tears were analyzed for cytokine concentrations using a 27-plex multibead assay. Correlations were sought between cytokine concentrations and comfort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant (p<0.022) decrease in ocular comfort over the day with or without lens wear. The magnitude of ocular discomfort was significantly greater (p<0.009) with lens wear. The concentrations of 12 cytokines differed significantly between the groups; thus, these cytokines were not analyzed further. For the remaining 15 cytokines, interleukin-8 (IL-8) was the only cytokine that changed in both groups during the day without (reduced by >-0.5 Log pg/ml, p<0.001) or with lens wear (reduced by >-0.2 Log pg/ml, p<0.001). The change in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration only in tears was correlated to ocular comfort, but this was not changed by contact lens wear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ocular comfort during the day is magnified by contact lens wear. However, the increase in the change in comfort during lens wear was not associated with changes in 15 cytokines in the tear film.
authors: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney, Australia ; School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia ; Vision CRC, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Mark D P
authors: MD
authors: Willcox
authors: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney, Australia ; Vision CRC, Sydney, Australia ; Neurosurgery Unit, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Zhenjun
authors: Z
authors: Zhao
authors: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Naduvilath
authors: Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney, Australia ; School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia ; Vision CRC, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Percy
authors: P
authors: Lazon de la Jara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003261:Contact Lenses; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines