Serum levels of cytokines in patients with retinal neurodegeneration in diabetic retinopathy on the background of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the serum level of IL-1, TNF- IL-17A, INF-, IL-10 in patients with retinal neurodegeneration against the background of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study included 80 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, which were divided into 4 groups depending on the presence of vascular symptoms of diabetic retinopathy and retinal neurodegeneration. The level of cytokines was determined using solid-phase ELISA. In groups of patients with retinal neurodegeneration, a significant (p0.05) increase in IL-1 and a decrease in IL-10 were detected. The presence of vascular changes in the retina did not affect the level of cytokines studied. The identified changes show the role of systemic imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the induction of retinal neurodegeneration in diabetic retinopathy. Further study of this problem is required in order to search for possible immune markers of retinal neurodegeneration in patients with type 2 diabetes.