Association of serum uric acid and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients with and without diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Objectives: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the microvascular complications in Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) has been shown to play a significant role in DR and nephropathy, but there is little information on retinopathy. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the SUA and lipid profile in T2D patients with and without DR and the association between SUA and severity of DR. Methods: The study was conducted in the ophthalmology OPD at Sri Lakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences. The presence of T2D was confirmed by investigating fasting blood glucose level (normal limit <110 mg/dl) in all the individuals. DR was examined by detailed dilated fundoscopic examination. Based on the fundus examination, patients were divided into diabetes with signs of DR and those without signs of DR. Age and sex matched healthy were taken as controls. Fasting blood sugar, SUA, and lipid profile were investigated for these groups. Results: The study found elevated SUA and abnormal lipid profile in DR group when compared to non-DR and control groups. We also found the significant association between SUA and severity of DR, particularly in males. Conclusion: We found a significant association between SUA and severity of DR in T2D patients. Further studies with the large sample size are needed to establish the role of elevated SUA and the mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of retinopathy in diabetic patients. Regular measurements of SUA level could be advised to the diabetic patients for the early management.