Abstract
Purpose: :
A case-control study to assess the degree of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and internal carotid artery stenosis in the presence and absence of retinal arteriolar emboli in a population of type II diabetic patients.
Methods: :
From a total of 7,819 Veterans Affairs patients who were screened for retinopathy by digital fundus photography, 80 patients were identified with retinal arteriolar emboli and subsequently underwent carotid ultrasound bilaterally. We compared the degree of NPDR (none, mild, moderate, and severe) and the severity of internal carotid artery stenosis (mild 1-39%, moderate 40-59%, severe 60-79%, and critical 80% to complete occlusion) in eyes with and without emboli.
Results: :
Of the patients with mild to moderate internal carotid artery stenosis ipsilateral to the retinal arteriolar emboli, 53 (66%) eyes had no NPDR, 13 (16%) eyes had mild NPDR, 2 (2.5%) eyes had moderate NPDR, and 0 had severe NPDR, whereas in eyes without emboli, 49 (61%) eyes had no NPDR, 18 (23%) had mild NPDR, 2 (2.5%) had moderate NPDR, and 0 had severe NPDR (p = 0.620). Of the patients with severe to critical stenosis ipsilateral to the retinal arteriolar emboli, 8 eyes with no NPDR, 4 (5%) eyes had mild NPDR, and 0 eyes with severe NPDR, whereas in eyes without emboli 7 (8.8%) eyes had no NPDR, 4 (5%) eyes had moderate NPDR, and 0 had severe NPDR (p = 0.879).
Conclusions: :
There was no statistically significant difference in the degree of NPDR and the degree of ipsilateral internal carotid artery stenosis in eyes with and without retinal arteriolar emboli in our population of type II diabetic patients.
Keywords: diabetic retinopathy