2M. D. Associate Professor, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Eye Clinic, Istanbul/TURKEY
3M. D. Associate Professor, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Eye Clinic, Istanbul/TURKEY Purpose: To assess the association of systemic parameters and macular edema in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) especially considering vitamin D which has anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic properties.
Material and Method: Patients referred from Diabetes Clinic with NPDR were recruited during summer time. They were grouped as macular edema (ME) negative (Group I) and ME positive (Group II). There were 20 patients in each group, none of them were taking multivitamin supplement. Detailed eye examination, optic coherence tomography and if needed flourescein angiography was applied. Serum Vitamin D, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), body mass index (BMI) and duration of diabetes were recorded.
Results: No significant difference was found between the groups with respect to duration of diabetes, levels of vitamin D, HbA1c, FBG and sex distribution. Mean vitamin D levels were 19.56±10.56 ng/ml and 14.16±9.18 ng/ml in Group I and II respectively (p=0.092). Levels of vitamin D and HbA1c presented an average inverse relation considering all patients. In Group I, Vitamin D and HbA1c levels showed stronger inverse correlation whereas in Group II, Vitamin D and HbA1c levels do not show any correlation.
Conclusion: Previous studies showed lower vitamin D levels in diabetic patients compared with normal controls. In this preliminary study although not significant we found a trend of lower vitamin D levels in NPDR patients with ME. Average inverse relation between vitamin D and HbA1c in NPDR patients needs to be evaluated since diabetic control and serum vitamin D values may have an influence on each other.
Keywords : 25-hydroxyvitamin D, macular edema, diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, hemoglobin A1c