Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aim

Diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness due to retinopathy. Serum uric acid levels independently predict the development of micro vascular complications. In this study, we analyze the relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels with the development and the severity of diabetic retinopathy(DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Patients and Methods

A total of 100 Type 2 diabetes patients were enrolled. The presence of diabetic retinopathy was established by fundus examination. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid greater than 6 mg/dl (360 µmol/l). The study population was divided into two groups: group 1 (G1) consists of 50 patients with non complicated diabetes; group2 (G2) consists of 50 patients with diabetic retinopathy in absence of any other microvascular complications. The severity of DR was classified as non–proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and proliferative DR (PDR).

Results

Out of 50 patients without DR (G1), there were 23 males and 27 females. Out of 50 patients with DR (G2), there were 22 males and 28 females. The mean age of the patients presented with and without DR was 58.88 and 56.88 years respectively. BMI and HbA1c did not statistically differ among the two groups (30.49 kg/m² vs 30.6 kg/m², 11.3% vs 11.1% respectively). Diabetes duration was longer in G2 compared to G1 (15.5 vs 9.06 years, P = 0.1). Hyperuricemia (serum uric acid >360 µmol/l) was more prevalent in group2 (26%) compared to group1 patients (18%). Mean serum uric acid levels were higher among patients with DR (336.36 µmol/l) compared to patients without DR (313.34 µmol/l) which was statistically not significant (P = 0.2). However, the concentration of SUA was significantly higher in patients with proliferative DR (373 µmol/l) compared to patients without DR or with NPDR (308 µmol/l), P = 0.01.

Conclusion

Patients with DR did not have significant elevation in serum uric acid levels than those without DR. However, an increased SUA levels were significantly correlated with the severity of DR.