Objective To measure the concentration of serum transthyretin (TTR) of patients with different stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods A total of 176 patients with diabetes mellitus were included in this study. There were 104 males and 72 females. The patients aged from 21 to 74 years, with the mean age of (56±11) years. The diabetes duration raged from 1 to 30 years, with the mean diabetes duration of (10±7) years. The HbA1C was 5.2%−14.1%, with the mean HbA1C of (8.6±2.0)%. According to the fundus examination, 58 patients had DR (33.0%), but the other 118 patients not (67.0%). For these DR patients, 10 patients were in stage Ⅰ (5.7%), 26 patients in stage Ⅱ (14.8%), 8 patients in stage Ⅲ (4.5%), and 14 patients in stage Ⅳ (8.0%). The concentration of serum TTR was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay kit. The differences in the concentration of serum TTR between different DR stages were compared.Bivariate analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of TTR. Results The concentrations of serum TTR of the patients without DR or with DR of stage Ⅰ to Ⅳ were (224.96±65.47), (383.68±102.99), (247.44±63.21), (228.2±45.89), (189.34±70.12) mg/L, respectively. The difference between different DR stages was statistically significant (F=14.690,P＜0.001).Bivariate analysis showed that the concentration of TTR was correlation to DR (r=0.179,P=0.017). There was no correlation between the concentration of TTR and diabetes duration (r=−0.027,P=0.727), hypertension (r=0.018,P=0.810), hyperlipoidemia (r=0.101,P=0.182), and the use of insulin (r=−0.032,P=0.675). Conclusion The concentration of serum TTR was increased in early DR patients, and gradually decreased with the progression of DR. The concentration of TTR is correlated to DR.
Objective To investigate the prevalence rate and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in residents aged 50 and above in Binhu Area, Wuxi City. Methods Stratified cluster random sampling method was used to investigate the prevalence of DR of residents aged 50 and above from January to December 2010. Detailed medical history, general examination, visual acuity, slit lamp microscope, direct ophthalmoscopy and blood sample testing were conducted for all selected subjects. DR diagnostic criteria refer to the 2002 International DR classification criteria. Unilateral or bilateral DR was both considered as DR patients.χ2 test was used for statistical analysis of risk factors, and independent risk factors were screened by SPSS 17.0 software. Results A total of 6150 residents underwent the examination with a participating rate of 91.5%. Seven hundred and three residents were diagnosed as with diabetes, in which 40 were unable to record the fundus condition due to opaque refractive media. Among the rest 663 diabetic patients, 36 (5.4%) were DR patients. There were 34 non-proliferative DR (5.1%) and two proliferative DR (0.3%). The duration of diabetes and fasting blood-glucose were the independent risk factor of DR (r=0.008, 0.009; P＜0.05). Conclusions The prevalence rate of DR is low in the residents aged 50 and above in Binhu Area, Wuxi City. The duration of diabetes and fasting blood-glucose level were confirmed as the independent risk factor of DR.
Objective To investigate the causes of blindness and low vision of the people over 50 years old in Binhu Area of Wuxi City. Methods Cluster sampling was used in randomly selected individuals over 50 years old in 28 villages. The oculopathy related to blindness and low vision of the people over 50 years old were analyzed. The vision acuity lt;0.05 was defined as blindness, while 0.05-0.3 was defined as low vision. SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results Totally 6150 individuals were examined. The bilateral blindness and low vision was found in 47 and 84 individuals, unilateral blindness and low vision was found in 201 and 214 individuals. Among 201 unilateral blindness individuals, there were 55 individuals have low vision in the other eye. In the 295 blind eyes, there are 116 eyes (39.32%) with cataract, 31 eyes (10.51%) with high myopia macular degeneration, and 28 (9.49%) eyes with atrophy eyeballs. In the 437 low vision eyes, there are 223 eyes (51.03%) with cataract, 41 (9.38%) eyes with high myopia macular degeneration, and 41 (9.38%) eyes with age-related macular degeneration. Conclusion Cataract is the first cause leading to blindness and low vision, followed by age-related macular degeneration, high myopia macular degeneration and atrophy eyeballs.