The association of hypomagnesaemia, high normal uricaemia and dyslipidaemia in the patients with diabetic retinopathy.

CONTEXT Diabetic retinopathy is fast becoming an important cause of a visual disability. The visual disability which results from diabetes is a significant public health problem; however, this morbidity is largely preventable and treatable. If it is managed with a timely intervention, the quality of life can be preserved. AIMS The objective of this study was to investigate the association of serum uric acid, magnesium and the lipid profile in diabetic retinopathy with Normal subjects and Diabetes mellitus without retinopathy, among the south Indian population. SETTINGS AND DESIGN The diabetic retinopathy patients were identified from the diabetic health camps which were held in rural areas, and they were compared with those with diabetes without complications and the normal subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS The diabetic retinopathy patients were compared with the healthy subjects and with diabetes without retinopathy. Furthermore, the Diabetic retinopathy patients were grouped as proliferative and non-proliferative, based on the fundoscopic findings. Magnesium, uric acid, FPG, fructosamine and the lipid profile were measured in the above groups and they were analyzed. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS The statistical analysis was done by using the SPSS software, by applying the Student 't' test. RESULTS The mean serum magnesium concentration was observed to be low in the diabetic retinopathy group (1.43mg/dl) as compared to those in the controls and the diabetic subjects. The serum Uric acid concentration was high normal (4.84mg/dl), which was associated with the dyslipidaemia in diabetic retinopathy. CONCLUSION The poor glycaemic control in diabetes is associated with hypomagnesaemia, and increased uric acid concentration with dyslipidaemia, which can be an initial picture of the ongoing biochemical changes in the complication of diabetes, which can help in predicting the onset of diabetic retinopathy in diabetes.