Early Retinal Microvasculopathy in Prediabetic Patients and Correlated Factors

Introduction: We aimed to detect early retinal microcirculation changes in prediabetic patients and investigate their correlation with clinical examinations. Methods: Forty-seven prediabetic individuals, 29 controls, and 81 type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) patients were enrolled in this study. A review of clinical data and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA) parameters of macular vessel diameter (VD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ), and macular vessel area density (VAD) was performed. Results: Levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in prediabetes and T2DM groups were significantly higher than those in the control group. Urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) was mildly and moderately increased in the prediabetes and T2DM groups, respectively. Estimated glomerular filtration rate of the three groups were within the normal range. SD-OCTA showed that VAD in the superficial macular area was decreased in the prediabetes group compared to the control group (p=0.01). The FAZ size, particularly in the deep layer, was expanded in the prediabetes group. In the deep retinal layer of the macular area, VD and FAZ size in the prediabetes group were larger than those in the control group. In the prediabetes group, the axial length was significantly correlated with macular VD and FAZ size (p
Source: Ophthalmic Research - Category: Opthalmology Source Type: research