AIM:To study the role of inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of evaporative dry eye.

METHODS:Thirty-nine patients(65 eyes)with evaporative dry eye treated from January 2010 to January 2015 in our hospital were selected as test group. Thirty healthy check-ups(53 eyes)were selected as control group. All the patients took the anti-inflammatory drugs. Before treatments, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 of two groups was compared. After 1, 4 and 10w of treatments, the levels of inflammatory cytokines of two groups was compared.

RESULTS:The levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 of control group were significantly lower than those of test group(P<0.05). After 1, 4 and 10wk of treatments, the observed indexes of two groups were significantly different(P<0.05). With the extension of treatment time, the indexes gradually returned to normal; at 1, 4 and 10wk after treatments, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 of two groups were significantly different. The mentioned indexes were gradually reduced(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:For patients with evaporative dry eye, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 increase specifically, which are closely correlated with the occur and progress of this disease, regarded as the important reference indexes for clinical diagnosis and efficacy monitoring.