Open AccessRole of Oxidative Stress and Severity of Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Author(s) -
Bokhary Kholoud,
Aljaser Feda,
Abudawood Manal,
Tabassum Hajera,
Bakhsh Afnan,
Alhammad Shatha,
Aleyadhi Rawan,
Almajed Faisal,
Alsubki Roua
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
ophthalmic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.893
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1423-0259
pISSN - 0030-3747
DOI - 10.1159/000514722
Subject(s) - research article
Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a sight-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Oxidative stress generated on account of hyperglycemic state may lead to retinal abnormalities including DR. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the status of antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), in different stages of DR severity in subjects with type 1 DM (T1DM) and type 2 DM (T2DM). Methods: The cross-sectional study enrolled 148 subjects with T1DM ( n = 17), T2DM ( n = 96), and nondiabetic controls ( n = 35). Subjects with DM were divided into 2 subgroups based on DR severity (mild-to-severe nonproliferative DR [NPDR] and proliferative DR [PDR]), and serum glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile, SOD, and CAT were estimated. Results: Both SOD and CAT levels were lower in diabetic subjects than nondiabetic controls. A significant positive correlation was found between HbA1C level and severity of DR ( p < 0.0001). Levels of SOD and CAT varied significantly with DR severity in both diabetic groups at p < 0.05. Furthermore, levels of SOD and CAT were found to decrease significantly ( p < 0.001) in DR (+) compared to DR (−) patients. Also, increased levels of HbA1c were significantly associated ( p < 0.001) with decreased SOD in both subgroups (NPDR and PDR). DR severity was significantly associated with SOD and CAT in the NPDR and PDR subgroups ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defenses are associated with DR progression to its PDR stage.