Observational studyScientific reports2021
Keratoconus patients exhibit a distinct ocular surface immune cell and inflammatory profile.
Observational study in Scientific reports, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 69 citations in OpenAlex.
- Ocular immune homeostasis-mechanisms of precise regulation through coordination of the eye, visual system and beyond: a narrative review.Annals of eye science · 2026Article
- The Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine Profile in Keratoconus as a Predictor of Five-Year Corneal Cross-Linking Outcomes.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Observational
- Tear Film Inflammatory Biomarkers in Keratoconus: Insights into Disease Severity and Diagnostic Potential.Korean journal of ophthalmology : KJO · 2026Observational
- Tear cytokine profiles between children with allergic conjunctivitis at varying eye rubbing frequencies and keratoconus: A cross-sectional study.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026Article
- The Genetic and Epigenetic Architecture of Keratoconus: Emerging Pathways and Clinical Implications.Genes · 2026Review
- Comparison of tear film quantity parameters between keratoconus and normal eyes.International journal of ophthalmology · 2026Article
- Pathophysiological and molecular insights into allergic conjunctivitis: an expanding analysis of immunological endotypes.Frontiers in allergy · 2026Review
- Tear MicroRNA-Based Molecular Signature for Keratoconus Stratification: A Cross-Cohort Integration Study.Bioinformatics and biology insights · 2026Article
- Regulation of corneal stromal cell behavior by modulating curvature using a hydraulically-controlled organ chip array.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Tear fluid participates in systemic immunity.Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2025Review
- Inter-Eye Molecular Discrepancies in the Corneal Epithelium Point to TFRC in the Keratoconus Severity Signature and Mechanism of Cone Formation.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2025Article
- Construction and characteristics of an adjustable biomechanical in vitro corneal stromal model simulating keratoconus pathological features.Materials today. Bio · 2025Article
- The microenvironment of ocular surface in keratoconus: a systematic review.Eye and vision (London, England) · 2025Review
- Genetic and immune landscape of keratoconus: insights from Mendelian randomization analysis.Mammalian genome : official journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society · 2025Article
- Investigating prolactin-induced protein and its role in modulating the metabolic state of the keratoconus microenvironment.Experimental eye research · 2025Review
- Assessment of Serum Cytokine Levels in Keratoconus Patients.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Omics in Keratoconus: From Molecular to Clinical Practice.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Corneal cross-linking effects on ocular surface parameters and corneal topographic and optical characteristics in progressive keratoconus cases: a prospective single-arm study.BMC ophthalmology · 2025Article
- Untargeted Tear Proteomics in a Large South-Asian Cohort Reveals Inflammatory Signaling, ECM Remodeling, and Altered Metabolism in Keratoconus.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2025Article
- PI3K signaling and lysyl oxidase is critical to corneal stroma fibrosis following mustard gas injury.Experimental eye research · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Inflammatory factors have been considered to contribute to keratoconus (KC) pathogenesis. This study aims to determine the immune cells subsets and soluble inflammatory factor profile on the ocular surface of KC patients. 32 KC subjects (51 eyes) across different grades of severity and 15 healthy controls (23 eyes) were included in the study. Keratometry and pachymetry measurements were recorded. Ocular surface immune cells (collected by ocular surface wash) immunophenotyped using flow cytometry include leukocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, pan-T cells, gamma delta T (γδT) cells and NKT cells. Tear fluid collected using Schirmer's strip was used to measure 50 soluble factors by multiplex ELISA. Proportions of activated neutrophils, NK cells and γδT cells were significantly increased in KC patients. Significantly higher levels of tear fluid IL-1β, IL-6, LIF, IL-17A, TNFα, IFNα/β/γ, EPO, TGFβ1, PDGF-BB, sVCAM, sL-selectin, granzyme-B, perforin, MMP2, sFasL and IgE, along with significantly lower levels of IL-1α and IL-9 were observed in KC patients. Alterations observed in few of the immuno-inflammatory parameters correlated with grades of disease, allergy, eye rubbing and keratometry or pachymetry measurements. The observation implies a distinct immuno-inflammatory component in KC pathogenesis and its potential as an additional therapeutic target in KC management.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.