PurposeThe goals of this study were to evaluate the safety of office-based vitreous sampling, and determine the utility of these samples with multiplex cytokine analysis.MethodsVitreous samples were collected from office-based needle aspiration and the rate of adverse events during follow-up was reviewed. The vitreous cytokine concentrations in a subset of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) were analyzed using a 42 plex-cytokine bead array. These results were compared with vitreous cytokine concentrations in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and controls (macular hole, epiretinal membrane, symptomatic vitreous floaters) from pars plana vitrectomy.ResultsAn adequate volume of vitreous fluid (100–200 μL) was obtained in 52 (88%) of 59 office-based sampling attempts. The average length of follow-up was 300 days (range, 42–926 days). There were no complications, including cataract, retinal tear or detachment, and endophthalmitis. Two patients (3%) had posterior vitreous detachments within 3 months. Vitreous cytokine concentrations were measured in 44 patients: 14 controls, 13 with DME, and 17 with PDR. The concentration of ADAM11, CXCL-10, IL-8, and PDGF-A were higher in PDR compared with controls and DME. The concentration of IL-6 was higher in PDR compared with controls, but not compared with DME.ConclusionsOffice-based vitreous aspiration is safe and yields high-quality samples for multiplex vitreous cytokine analysis. Significant elevations of vitreous cytokines were found in PDR compared with DME and controls, including the novel finding of elevated ADAM11. As such, office-based aspiration is a safe and effective means to identify vitreous factors associated with vitreoretinal disease.

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