Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus poses a substantial global health burden, with diabetic retinopathy (DR) being a prevalent and potentially devastating microvascular complication. Platelet activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of DR, suggesting platelet indices such as mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), and plateletcrit (PCT) as potential noninvasive markers for predicting its onset.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 300 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attending a tertiary care center. Demographic data, duration of diabetes, and HbA1c levels were recorded. Platelet indices were measured using complete blood counts, and DR was diagnosed based on fundus examination findings.
RESULTS: Among the study participants, group B (n = 140) comprising patients with DR had significantly higher levels of MPV (13.28 ± 2.14 fL), PDW (14.56 ± 2.37), P-LCR (29.59 ± 6.018%), and PCT (0.29 ± 0.06) compared to group A (n = 160) without DR (MPV: 9.99 ± 1.64 fL, PDW: 12.81 ± 2.28, P-LCR: 27.64 ± 8.36%, PCT: 0.26 ± 0.09) (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Subgroup analysis within poorly controlled diabetics (HbA1c > 7%) also showed significantly higher platelet indices in those with DR compared to those without.
CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore a significant association between elevated platelet indices and the presence of DR in patients with T2DM, independent of glycemic control status. These indices could serve as valuable surrogate markers for identifying individuals at risk of developing DR, facilitating early intervention strategies in clinical practice.