INTERLEUKIN-6 AND OTHER CYTOKINES IN AQUE OUS-HUMOR DURING UVEITIS AND ENDOPHTHALMITIS

We studied aqueous humour and serum level of 4 cytokines during uveiti s and endophthalmitis: Interleukin 6, Gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor and Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. High lev els of IL-6 were found in aqueous humour during ocular inflammation an d infection. This elevation of IL-6 level was more constant and more i mportant in the endophthalmitis group (mean level 2.992 pg/ml) than in the uveitis group (mean level 1.480 pg/ml). During endophthalmitis no evident relation was found between IL-6 and clinical course or aspect , or bacteriological results of anterior chamber tapes. In the uveitis group, no relation was found between IL-6 level and clinical aspect o r aetiology.