Lp(a) and Apo-lipoproteins as predictors for diabetic retinopathy and its severity in patients with type 2 diabetes: A case-cohort study

Abstract: Aims To measure the relationship between serum Lp(a) and apolipoproteins and the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy(DR) Methods 1057 patients with type 2 diabetes were divided into three groups and followed for five years: 637 patients without DR, 162 patients with non-proliferative DR (NPDR), and 163 patients with proliferative DR (PDR). The association between serum Lp (a) and apolipoproteins with NPDR and PDR was assessed by using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. The ROC analysis was measured based on the new cutoff values. Results There was a positive relationship between Lp(a) and the presence of DR as well as a negative correlation between ApoA and DR (p value Conclusions Serum Lp(a) and ApoA1 levels were independently associated with DR, and serum ApoB was correlated with the severity of DR. These measurements can be used for assessment and early treatment of this vision-threatening complication of diabetes.