The relation of c-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and body mass index with diabetic retinopathy in patients enrolled from a tertiary care hospital

Objective: To study the relation of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and Body Mass Index (BMI) with diabetic retinopathy in patients enrolled from a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Cross sectional comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Centre for Research in Experimental and Applied Medicine (CREAM-1) at Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi in collaboration with Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology (AFIO), Rawalpindi over a period of 6 months from Jan 2016 to Jun 2016. Material and Methods: There were 90 patients of diabetic retinopathy enrolled from AFIO. Their ages were in range 40-70 years. Their levels of ESR, CRP and BMI were assessed. These were then compared with 90 normal healthy controls from general population. Independent student's t-test was applied for scale variables and Chi square test was applied for nominal variables. Results: Patients and controls were age and gender matched. Their mean ages were 60 +- 8.9 years in patients and 59 +- 13.02 years in controls. In 90 patients enrolled 51 (56.7%) were males and 39 (43.3) were females. And in 90 controls considered 49 (54.4%) were males and 41 (45.6%) were females. Both scale variables gave following results ESR= 27.9 +- 6.96 in patients and 16.02 +- 7.6 in controls with a p-value of <0.001 and BMI = 28.9 +- 2.94 in patients and 26.02 +- 4.16 in controls with a p-value of <0.001. CRP being a nominal variable gave p-value <0.001. Diabetic retinopathy gave a significant positive association with all the three variables under study. Conclusion: There is a direct relationship of ESR and CRP with retinopathy signifying that inflammatory processes may be one of the underlying biochemical mechanisms in development of retinopathy. Moreover a direct relationship also exists between BMI and retinopathy indicating the contribution of weight gain in development of retinopathy. (author)