抄録
Although an elevated level of Lp(a) has been reported in diabetic patients with nephropathy, the significance of Lp(a) as a risk factor for diabetic retinopathy (DR) is still not clear. Thus, we determined the serum Lp(a) levels in 600 patients with NIDDM and evaluated clinical implication of Lp(a) as a risk factor for DR. Simple DR or proliferative DR was diagnosed in 33% (n=197) and 13% (n=78), respectively. The subjects with DR tended to be older, with a longer duration of diabetes, higher plasma glucose levels and urinary albumin excretion. Furthermore, the subjects with DR were frequently associated with hypertension, other vascular complications, and insulin treatment. The serum Lp(a) concentrations in proliferative DR were significantly higher than that in subjects without DR. The serum Lp(a) level in NIDDM was elevated in nephropathic patients. When adjusted for nephropathy, Lp(a) was not correlated significantly with DR. Discriminant analysis demonstrated that the duration of diabetes, insulin treatment, nephropathy, and autonomic neuropathy, but not Lp(a) concentration, could be an independent risk factor for retinopathy in patients with NIDDM.
