Relationship among Serum Homocysteine, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1, Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1, and Visual Impairment in Diabetic Macular Edema

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship among serum homocysteine (Hcy), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and visual impairment in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Yulin Second Hospital, China, from April 2018 to May 2021. Methodology: A total of 132 patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR), complicated with DME, were selected as observation group; and 132 patients with simple DR were included in the control group. According to visual examination, patients in observation group were divided into visual disability and non-visual disability. Serum Hcy, ICAM-1, MCP-1, and other indicators were measured. Results: Duration of diabetes, levels of serum Hcy, ICAM-1 and MCP-1 in observation group were higher than those in control group (all p <0.001). Levels of serum Hcy, ICAM-1 and MCP-1 in patients with mild, moderate and severe DME were significantly different (all p <0.001). Levels of serum Hcy, ICAM-1 and MCP-1 in patients with visual disabilities were higher than those in patients with non-visual disabilities (all p <0.001). Levels of serum Hcy, ICAM-1 and MCP-1 in visually disabled patients were higher than those in non-visual disability patients (all p <0.001). Conclusion: Levels of serum Hcy, ICAM-1 and MCP-1 in patients with DR complicated with DME were higher than those without visual disability; and levels of Hcy, ICAM-1 and MCP-1 in patients with visual disability were higher than those without visual disability. In patients with DR complicated with DME, increase of these serum markers may play an important role in visual disability.