RGD Reference Report - Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated severity of idiopathic retinal periphlebitis in young adults (Eales' disease): implication for anti-TNF-alpha therapy. - Rat Genome Database
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated severity of idiopathic retinal periphlebitis in young adults (Eales' disease): implication for anti-TNF-alpha therapy.
Authors:
Saxena, S Pant, AB Khanna, VK Singh, K Shukla, RK Meyer, CH Singh, VK
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a pleiotropic inflammatory cytokine. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha was evaluated in the serum samples of patients with idiopathic retinal periphlebitis in young adults (Eales' disease). Retinal periphlebitis was graded according to a new grading system based on severity of inflammation (grade 1-4). Quantification of the TNF-alpha levels was carried out using ELISA kit in the serum samples of young adults with idiopathic retinal periphlebitis (n = 17) and healthy controls (n = 17) of similar age. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha level was found to be significantly raised in cases with retinal periphlebitis as compared with controls (p < 0.001). Higher levels of TNF-alpha were found to be associated with increased severity of retinal periphlebitis. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha represents a novel target for controlling inflammatory activity in idiopathic retinal periphlebitis. Higher levels of TNF-alpha, in association with the increased severity of retinal periphlebitis, have implications for early anti-TNF-alpha therapy.