Tear interferon-gamma as a biomarker for evaporative dry eye disease

Abstract

PURPOSE. To assess whether tear hyperosmolarity, being diagnostic of dry eye disease (DED), is associated with specific alterations to the cytokine content of human tears that may provide a biomarker for DED. METHODS. In this prospective, cross-sectional, clinical study, participants (n = 77) were recruited from a single clinical site and categorized into groups based upon tear osmolarity status (n = 62 hyperosmolar, n = 15 normo-osmolar). Comprehensive anterior eye clinical assessments were undertaken. Concentrations of seven cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) in basal tears were assayed using multiplex cytometric bead array. The main outcome measure was differenc..