IL-8 concentration in OC patients was significantly higher than what was observed in OPMD patients (SMD = 0.97; 95% CI 1.81 to 0.13), but heterogeneity was very high (I2 = 92%, p <  0.01) (Fig. 4b). Here, CXCL8 is linked to oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.