The role of plasminogen and urokinase activator of plasminogen in the treatment of endogenous uveitis in children

Abstract

AIM: To determine the content of plasminogen and urokinase activator of plasminogen in tears and blood serum and to identify correlations between the studied parameters and the clinical picture of uveitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-three eyes with uveitis were examined in 74 patients aged 3 to 17 yr (average 10.453.35 yr). The content of the urokinase activator of plasminogen (UPA) was studied in 188 tear samples and 22 blood serum samples. The dynamics of UPA in tears were studied in 28 patients (51 eyes). The plasminogen content of 86 tear samples and 34 blood serum samples was studied. The dynamics of plasminogen in tears were studied in five patients (nine eyes). The concentrations of UPA and plasminogen were measured using the ELISA method and the kits ELISA kit for plasminogen activator, urokinase (UPA)/ELISA Kit for Plasminogen, Cloud-Clone Corp., USA). RESULTS: An increase in the content of UPA in the tears of children with uveitis was associated with higher inflammatory activity (p=0.04). An increase in the content of UPA in tears was associated with an increase in the degree of proliferative changes (p=0.04). An increase in the content of UPA and plasminogen in tears was found 12 months after surgery. There was an increase in the content of UPA (p=0.0001) and plasminogen in tears (p=0.009) and blood serum (p=0.09) with age. CONCLUSION: The content of UPA in tears increased significantly when severe uveitis was compared with inactive uveitis. An increase in the content of UPA in tears was associated with an increase in the degree of proliferative changes, which reflects the severity of the uveitis course. The content of UPA and plasminogen in tears and blood serum increased with age. An increase in UPA and plasminogen was observed within 12 months after surgery, with both returning to preoperative values by the third month of the postoperative period, which reflects the normal course of the wound healing process.