{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.03458799593082401, 'fraction_numerical': 0.028484231943031537, 'mean_word_length': 5.16614420062696, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 1, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 1, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Intra-individual comparison of cytokine and prostaglandin levels with and without low-energy, high-frequency femtosecond laser cataract pretreatment following single-dose topical NSAID application.

PURPOSE
To investigate interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and total prostaglandin levels in the anterior chamber in patients undergoing low pulse energy femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery.


METHODS
Forty patients undergoing immediate sequential cataract surgery received randomized low-energy femtosecond laser pretreatment in 1 eye and conventional phacoemulsification in the other. Aqueous humor was collected precisely 5 minutes after femtosecond laser pretreatment and before conventional phacoemulsification from all 80 eyes. IL-1β, IL-6 and total prostaglandin (including PGE1, PGE2; PGF1a, PGF2a) levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunoassay kits. One drop of ketorolac 0.5% was administered 30 minutes before surgery.


RESULTS
Mean concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6 and total prostaglandin were 0.87, 0.67 and 32.19 pg/mL in the femto group compared to 0.10 (p= 0.36), 0.78 (p= 0.79) and 19.66 pg/mL (p < 0.05) in the non-femto group. Levels of IL 1β and 6 were not statistically significantly different when compared between groups. There was a small though statistically significant increase of prostaglandin levels in the femto group. There were no statistically significant correlations between levels of 1β, IL-6 or total prostaglandin and suction time or lens density (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Low pulse energy femtosecond laser pretreatment did not trigger any additional IL and only a small though statistically significant increase of prostaglandin release in the anterior chamber after a single-dose of topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug administered 30 minutes before the start of cataract surgery. The findings indicated that the minor inflammatory reaction was due to the lower pulse energy concept applied by the femtosecond laser.