title: Association between Diabetic Retinopathy and Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Diabetic Patients with Unstable Angina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with serious complications including macro- and microvascular problems such as diabetic retinopathy. Coronary involvement in diabetic patients is believed to be a consequence of microvascular complications. However, the available data are inconclusive and scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the probable association between diabetic retinopathy and left ventricular dysfunction in diabetic patients with unstable angina (UA).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 200 diabetic patients with UA (100 cases with diabetic retinopathy and 100 cases without diabetic retinopathy) were enrolled in a teaching hospital. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as well as the frequency of cases with left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF<50%) were compared between the two groups and different degrees of diabetic retinopathy (proliferative and non-proliferative).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' demographic variables were comparable between the two groups. Mean diagnosis time of DM was significantly higher in the patients with diabetic retinopathy (8.40±6.60 vs. 3.81±3.58 years; P<0.001). Mean LVEF was significantly lower in the retinopathy group (50.50±6.91% vs. 53.07±4.87%; P=0.003). Frequency of cases with left ventricular dysfunction was significantly higher in the group with diabetic retinopathy (31% vs. 12%; P=0.001, OR=3.33, 95%CI: 1.58-7.14). The frequency of cases with left ventricular dysfunction was significantly yet independently higher in patients with proliferative vs. non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Left ventricular dysfunction is more common in diabetic patients with unstable angina and diabetic retinopathy compared with their counterparts without diabetic retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nikookari Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ebadollah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nematzadeh Pakdel
authors.forename: Jahanbakhsh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Samadikhah
authors.forename: Rasoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Azarfarin
authors.forename: Kamran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shadvar
keywords: Diabetic Retinopathy; Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction; Unstable Angina