Content area
Abstract
Background
To study the utility of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) as a differentiating biomarker by assessing the aqueous humour and serum of patients with infectious and noninfectious uveitis.
Methods
A total of 40 patients with acute uveitis were divided into 2 groups (18 patients with infectious uveitis and 22 patients with noninfectious uveitis). All the subjects underwent a full ophthalmological examination. Aqueous humour (AqH) and serum samples were collected from uveitis patients. The quantitative levels of IFN-γ in aqueous medium and serum were measured by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results
The quantitative level of IFN-γ in the aqueous humour was significantly greater (87.5 ± 81) (pg/ml) in infectious uveitis patients than in noninfectious uveitis patients (37.3 ± 9.9) (pg/ml) (p value = 0.006). However, the serum IFN-γ level (pg/ml) did not significantly differ between these groups (p value = 0.279). Thus, the IFN-γ level in the aqueous humour can be used to discriminate between infectious and noninfectious uveitis with 33.3% sensitivity and 100% specificity.
Conclusion
Aqueous IFN-γ can be used as a biomarker for differentiating between infectious and noninfectious uveitis.