Adiponectin may be used as a marker in prediction of diabetic retinopathy patients

Abstract

Objective To investigate the validity of serum adiponectin to differentiate diabetic retinopathy and to evaluate the relation between the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) and adiponectin in this disease.
Methods A total of 120 persons were included in the study, 80 diabetic patients, which divided into two groups, 40 patients were with diabetic retinopathy and 40 patients without diabetic retinopathy and 40 healthy control subjects.
Results There was no significant difference in the age, BMI and gender between the studied groups. Serum levels of TNFα pg/ml was significantly higher in diabetic patients with retinopathy compared to without retinopathy and both groups were significantly highercompared to control, adiponectin ng/ml was significantly lower in diabetic patients with retinopathy compared to without retinopathy and both groups were significantly lower compared to control. In the control group, adiponectin inversely and significantly correlated with age, waist circumference, triglyceride, cholesterol and LDL. Both adiponectin and TNFα have excellent ability to discriminate between diabetic patients from normal to control. But only adiponectin found to have the ability to discriminate diabetic retinopathy from diabetic without retinopathy.
Conclusion We found decrease serum level of adiponectin in diabetic retinopathy patients and increase level of TNFα in this patients in compared with diabetic only and control subjects.