Intraindividual comparison of cytokine and prostaglandin levels with and without low-energy, high-frequency femtosecond laser cataract pretreatment after single-dose topical NSAID application.

Abstract

To investigate interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and total prostaglandin (PG) levels in the anterior chamber in patients undergoing low pulse energy femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery. Forty patients undergoing immediate sequential cataract surgery received randomized low-energy femtosecond laser pretreatment in 1 eye and conventional phacoemulsification in the other. Aqueous humor was collected precisely 5 minutes after femtosecond laser pretreatment and before conventional phacoemulsification from all 80 eyes. IL-1β, IL-6, and total PG (including PGE1, PGE2; PGF1a, PGF2a) levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunoassay kits. One drop of ketorolac 0.5% was administered 30 minutes preoperatively. Mean concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, and total PG were 0.87, 0.67, and 32.19 pg/mL in the femto group compared with 0.10 (P = .36), 0.78 (P = .79), and 19.66 pg/mL (P < .05) in the nonfemto group. Levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were not statistically significantly different when compared between groups. There was a small but statistically significant increase of PG levels in the femto group. There were no statistically significant correlations between levels of 1β, IL-6, or total PG and suction time or lens density (P > .05). Low pulse energy femtosecond laser pretreatment did not trigger any additional IL and only a small but statistically significant increase of PG release in the anterior chamber after a single-dose of topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug administered 30 minutes before the start of cataract surgery. The findings indicated that the minor inflammatory reaction was due to the lower pulse energy concept applied by the femtosecond laser.