The relationship between renal function and diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes: A three-year prospective study

Dongning Wang; Kaiwei Fan; Zhanpeng He; Xiao Guo; Xia Gong; Kun Xiong; Daheng Wei; Bingbing Chen; Fanxiao Kong; Mochong Liao; Wei Wang; Wenyong Huang; Hua Liu; Guangzhou Diabetic Eye Study Group

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14662

The relationship between renal function and diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes: A three-year prospective study

Heliyon. 2023 Mar 25;9(4):e14662. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14662. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Authors

Dongning Wang^{1

2}, Kaiwei Fan³, Zhanpeng He⁴, Xiao Guo⁵, Xia Gong⁵, Kun Xiong⁵, Daheng Wei^{1

2}, Bingbing Chen¹, Fanxiao Kong^{1

2}, Mochong Liao^{1

2}, Wei Wang⁵, Wenyong Huang⁵, Hua Liu^{1

2}; Guangzhou Diabetic Eye Study Group

Affiliations

¹ Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China.
² Department of Ophthalmology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China.
³ Neuromedical Center, The First People's Hospital of Zhaoqing, Zhaoqing City, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Liwan Central Hospital of Guangzhou, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
⁵ Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Objective: To explore the association of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) with renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Design: A prospective cohort study.

Methods: This single-centre study included patients with no DR, mild non-proliferative DR (NPDR), and no DME at baseline. DR and DME were assessed using 7-field fundus photography and swept-source OCT (SS-OCT). The baseline renal function assessed included the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and microalbuminuria (MAU). Cox regression analyses were used to assess the hazard ratio (HR) of renal function with the progression of DR and the development of DME.

Results: A total of 1409 patients with T2DM (1409 eyes) were included. During 3 years of follow-up,143 patients had DR progression, and 54 patients developed DME. Low eGFR levels at baseline were associated with the development of DR (HR, 1.044 per 1-SD decrease; 95% CI, 1.035-1.053; P < 0.001). Compared to the participants with eGFRs >90 mL/min/1.73 m², the participants with eGFRs of 60-90 mL/min/1.73 m² (HR, 1.649; 95% CI, 1.094-2.485; P = 0.017) or < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² (HR, 2.106; 95% CI, 1.039-4.269; P = 0.039) had a higher risk of DR progression. Increasing MAU tertiles were associated with progression of DR (Tertile 2: HR, 2.577; 95% CI, 1.561-4.256; P < 0.001; Tertile 3: HR, 3.135; 95% CI, 1.892-5.194; P < 0.001). No significant relationship was found between renal function and the development of DME (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Abnormal renal profiles (i.e., low levels of eGFR and high levels of MAU) were associated with the progression of DR, but not with the development of DME.

Keywords: Albuminuria; Diabetic macular edema; Diabetic retinopathy; Glomerular filtration rate; Renal function.