Study Finds No Significant Link between eGFR and DME in Latino Patients

There was no association between glomerular filtration rate and diabetic macular edema (DME) in a study of Latino patients with type 2 diabetes and DME, according to findings published in Ophthalmology and Therapy.

“To the best of our knowledge this is the first study reporting the relationship between DME and renal function in a Latino population, as well as the relationship with other risk factors,” wrote corresponding author Patricia Muñoz-Villegas, PhD, of Laboratorios Sophia in Mexico, and coauthors.

The study included 82 patients with DME. The time since diabetes diagnosis averaged 15.30 ± 7.35 years among patients, and the duration of DME averaged 1.41 ± 1.75 years.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was not significantly associated with central macular thickness or total macular volume, according to the study. Hypertension was associated with a decrease in eGFR below 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, considered suggestive of kidney damage.

Furthermore, chronic kidney disease was associated with advanced age and elevated intraocular pressure, which may increase the risk of glaucoma development, researchers reported.

“The fact that we have not identified a relationship between eGFR and changes in macular optical coherence tomography may constitute an additional guideline for the evaluation of renal function in patients with DME using other biomarkers such as proteinuria,” researchers advised. “This in turn highlights the importance of the need for multidisciplinary approaches and follow-up in patients with diabetes mellitus in order to reduce or modulate risk factors as hypertension.”

Reference

Torres-Arellano JM, Tornero-Jimenez A, Sánchez-Ríos A, Olvera-Montaño O, Muñoz-Villegas P. Evaluation of the relationship between diabetic macular edema and renal function in a Latino population. Ophthalmol Ther. 2023;12(5):2745-2755. doi:10.1007/s40123-023-00787-w