title: Association between diabetic retinopathy and flow-mediated vasodilation in type 2 DM.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retinal endothelial dysfunction is a key in the etiogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR), in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) is a marker of endothelial function associated with production of endogenous nitric oxide. Using FMD, we investigated the relationship between macrovascular function and DR.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 74 patients with type 2 DM, including non-DR (NDR) (n = 30); mild nonproliferative DR (NPDR) (n = 16); moderate NPDR (n = 10); severe NPDR (n = 10); and proliferative DR (PDR) (n = 8); and 21 age-matched controls. We measured FMD in each group. Retinal blood flow and pulsatility ratios were measured using laser Doppler velocimetry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FMD decreased significantly in patients with DM compared with healthy control subjects. No significant differences were found in FMD among the NDR, mild NPDR, and moderate NPDR groups. FMD decreased significantly in the severe NPDR and PDR groups compared with the NDR group. FMD was significantly and negatively correlated with duration of DM and pulsatility ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systemic endothelial dysfunction appears to be associated with DR and vascular abnormalities in patients with type 2 DM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Asahikawa Medical College, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. cdh72740@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sogawa
authors.forename: Taiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tanano
authors.forename: Tomofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: Tsuneaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omae
authors.forename: Seigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakabayashi
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishibazawa
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Akitoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*