AIM: To discuss the role of interleukin-6(IL-6)in the development of inflammatory glaucoma by detecting the IL-6 levels in serum and aqueous humor of inflammatory glaucoma patients.

METHODS: Totally 20 patients(20 eyes)with inflammatory glaucoma were selected as experimental group, 20 patients(20 eyes)with primary chronic glaucoma(primary chronic angle-closure glaucoma and primary chronic open angle glaucoma)as the high intraocular pressure control group, and 20 senile cataract patients(20 eyes)as the normal control group. Three specimens of serum, aqueous humor in three groups were collected and aqueous IL-6 levels were measured through electrochemiluminescence.

RESULTS: The serum IL-6 levels in Inflammatory glaucoma group, primary chronic glaucoma group, senile cataract group were 3.26±2.10, 4.20±1.94 and 3.50±2.24pg/mL, respectively, which doesn't demonstrate statistically significant differences(F=1.080, P=0.345). The aqueous IL-6 levels in the Inflammatory glaucoma group, primary chronic glaucoma group and senile cataract group aqueous were 293.77±38.72, 135.27±32.72 and 115.80±29.97pg/mL, respectively, demonstrating statistically significant differences(F=164.86, P=0.000). The Inflammatory glaucoma group was found to be significantly higher than that in the primary chronic glaucoma and senile cataract group(P<0.01; P<0.01). Comparing the aqueous IL-6 levels in the primary chronic glaucoma group with that in the senile cataract group, the differences of it were not statistically significant(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: High expression of IL-6 levels in aqueous humor of inflammatory glaucoma patients is closely associated with inflammation, but it has no significant correlation with high intraocular pressure.