title: Homocysteine is linked to macular edema in type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between plasma total homocysteine concentration and diabetic macular edema in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 176) were enrolled in a cross-sectional hospital-based study. Diabetic macular edema status was documented by fundus photographs. Plasma total homocysteine concentration was measured using fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Normal control plasma homocysteine was established in 115 healthy subjects. Risk factors for diabetic macular edema were obtained from fasting blood samples and interviewer questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetic patients had increased plasma homocysteine compared with normal control. Plasma homocysteine levels were higher in subjects with diabetic macular edema than without ((11.4 ± 2.7) versus (8.5 ± 1.9) (μmol/l), p = 0.000). The association of homocysteine with diabetic macular edema was independent of major risk factors for diabetic macular edema (duration of diabetes, HbA1c, lipid) and determinants of higher homocysteine concentration (age, gender, serum folate and vitamin B12, renal status, and biguanide use) (OR: 1.63 (1.02-2.14), p = 0.018). Furthermore, per increase of 5.0 μmol/l plasma homocysteine was related to macular edema, after controlling for per unit increase of other factors (OR: 1.64 (1.04-2.16), p = 0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma total homocysteine concentration is independently associated with the occurrence of macular edema in type 2 diabetes. Future prospective studies are warranted to clarify the relationship.
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing , China , and.
authors: Jianbo
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Hongman
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Shi
authors: Lingfei
authors: L
authors: Yan
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Xie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D015994:Incidence; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine
keywords: Diabetic macular edema; homocysteine; risk factor; type 2 diabetes