Levels of basic fibroblast growth factor, glutamine synthetase, and interleukin-6 in subretinal fluid from patients with retinal detachment

PURPOSE: To investigate the presence of basic fibro, blast growth factor, glutamine synthetase activity, and interleukin-6 in subretinal fluid from patients with retinal detachment. METHODS: In a prospective study we measured basic fibroblast growth factor, glutamine synthetase activity, interleukin-6, and total protein in subretinal fluid samples from 96 eyes from 94 consecutive patients with a retinal detachment corrected by a conventional scleral buckling operation in our clinical practice. As controls, vitreous fluid samples from eyes with a macular hole (n = 6) or pucker (n = 11) were used. Laboratory data of the patient group were compared with the control group and correlated with various clinical data. RESULTS: Levels (median, range) of basic fibroblast growth factor, glutamine synthetase activity, interleukin,6, and total protein were significantly higher in patients than in controls (P < .0001). An increased level of glutamine synthetase and total protein correlated with a longer duration of the retinal detachment (r = .4, P = .002, and r = .34, P = .001, respectively). Interleukin,6 and basic fibroblast growth factor levels did not correlate with the duration of the detachment. After multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant relation was found between any of the tested subretinal proteins and a low visual outcome or redetachment. CONCLUSIONS: We found increased levels of basic fibroblast growth factor and glutamine synthetase in subretinal fluid from patients with retinal detachment. Basic fibroblast growth factor and glutamine synthetase may play a role in the pathogenesis and recovery after retinal detachment. The questions of whether the increased levels of basic fibroblast growth factor and glutamine synthetase result from leakage of dying glia cells (including Muller cells) and neurons and if basic fibro, blast growth factor is actively produced to protect the photoreceptor cells need further research. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.