AIM: To explore the levels of interleukin-8, interleukin-8 receptor 1, 2(CXCR1, CXCR2)in aqueous humor of polypoid choroidal vasculopathy(PCV)and their clinical significance.

METHODS: Totally 67 patients with PCV in our hospital were selected as PCV group, and another 50 patients with cataract were selected as control group, fluorescence quantitative PCR(QPCR)was used to detect the expression of IL-8, CXCR1 and CXCR2 mRNAs in aqueous humor of two groups, the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)of all subjects were measured by the international standard visual acuity chart, optical coherence tomography(OCT)was used to detect foveal retinal thickness(CMT), the receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)was created to analyze the predictive values of IL-8, CXCR1 and CXCR2 in the occurrence of PCV. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the risk factors for PCV.

RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the expression of IL-8, CXCR1 and CXCR2 mRNA increased in group PCV. BCVA in PCV group decreased and CMT increased(P<0.05). IL-8, CXCR1 and CXCR2 were significantly positively correlated with BCVA(r=0.438, 0.346, 0.385, all P<0.05), IL-8, CXCR1 and CXCR2 were positively correlated with CMT(r=0.378, 0.606, 0.357, all P<0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that IL-8, CXCR1, CXCR2, BCVA and CMT were the risk factors of PCV. The AUC of IL-8, CXCR1 and CXCR2 for PCV diagnosis was 0.882, 0.860 and 0.812.

CONCLUSION: The expression of IL-8, CXCR1 and CXCR2 in PCV aqueous humor were all increased, which was not only related to BCVA and CMT in patients, but also related to the occurrence of PCV, and it may become a potential predictor of PCV.