Purpose: Altered glucose metabolism, along with low-grade inflammation, has been proposed to be involved in retinal detachment (RD)-induced cone loss. Here, we assessed intravitreal glucose and cytological profile in patients with macula-off RD.
Methods: Glucose concentration was analysed in vitreous samples from 137 non-diabetic patients undergoing vitrectomy for either primary macula-off RD (n = 73) or epiretinal membrane (ERM; n = 64). Cellularity was assessed in vitreous cytospin preparations by a semi-quantitative immunostaining approach.
Results: Intravitreal glucose concentration was higher in the RD group (2.28 mmol.L-1 n =73 vs 1.6 mmol.L-1 n = 64; p < 0.0001). Overall cellularity and density of macrophages were significantly higher in the vitreous of RD patients (respectively p = 0.003 and p < 0.0001). Among the RD patients, intravitreal glucose concentration correlated with macrophages density (p = 0.002): its levels remained significantly higher in eyes in which macrophages were innumerable compared to lower macrophages densities RD eyes (p = 0.0095).
Conclusions: We observed a strong relationship between intravitreal glucose concentration and vitreous macrophage density. Additional indicators for vitreous glycation and low-grade inflammation should be further studied.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.