Association Between Body Mass Index And Retinal Circulation In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Purpose: : To study the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and retinal circulation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: : Four hundred ninety-four patients (273 men, 221 women) with type 2 diabetes with no or early-stage diabetic retinopathy were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into three groups according to BMI based on the International Classification of the World Health Organization (normal, <25 kg/m²; overweight, 25-30 kg/m², and obese, >30 kg/m²). Using a laser Doppler velocimetry system (CLBF Model 100; Canon, Tokyo, Japan), the retinal vessel diameter and blood velocity were measured and the retinal blood flow (RBF) was calculated. The data were assessed using one-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey-Kramer post hoc comparison.

Results: : In women, the RBF (p=0.0353) significantly decreased in the overweight group compared with the normal group. In contrast, there was no difference in RBF among the groups of men.

Conclusions: : Our results indicated that the RBF decreased in women with type 2 diabetes in the overweight group, suggesting that the degree of obesity may be associated with impaired retinal circulation in women with type 2 diabetes.

Keywords: diabetic retinopathy • diabetes • metabolism