Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2022; 130(12): 789-792
DOI: 10.1055/a-1831-0265
Article

Metabolic Status Modulates Choroidal Thickness – A Possible Early Indicator for Diabetic Eye Complications?

Svenja Meyhöfer
1   Institute for Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
2   German Center for Diabetes Research, Neuherberg, Germany
3   Department of Internal Medicine 1, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
,
Britta Wilms
1   Institute for Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
2   German Center for Diabetes Research, Neuherberg, Germany
,
Rodrigo Chamorro
1   Institute for Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
4   Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
,
Armin Knaak
1   Institute for Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
,
Eleni Pappa
1   Institute for Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
2   German Center for Diabetes Research, Neuherberg, Germany
3   Department of Internal Medicine 1, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
,
Agnetha S. Schulz
1   Institute for Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
2   German Center for Diabetes Research, Neuherberg, Germany
3   Department of Internal Medicine 1, Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
,
Anna-Josephin Pagels
5   Section of medical optics, Technische Hochschule Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
,
Maria Schröder
5   Section of medical optics, Technische Hochschule Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
,
Neele Kaluzny
5   Section of medical optics, Technische Hochschule Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
,
Hans-Jürgen Grein
5   Section of medical optics, Technische Hochschule Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
,
Sebastian M. Meyhöfer
1   Institute for Endocrinology & Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
2   German Center for Diabetes Research, Neuherberg, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Funding This study did not receive funding from any source.

Abstract

Objective To investigate the impact of metabolic status on choroidal thickness (ChT) in healthy subjects, patients with obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Design and Methods Fasting blood glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and ChT measured by optical coherence tomography were assessed in healthy normal-weight (n=17), obese participants (n=20), and obese participants with T2D (n=16).

Results ChT increased in obese participants and obese participants with T2D as compared to healthy normal-weight participants (P<0.0001). A negative correlation was observed between IGF1 and ChT (r=−0.268, P=0.050) for all cohorts. Furthermore, body mass index (BMI; R2=0.209; P=0.002; beta=0.388) and model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; R2=0.074; P=0.015; beta=0.305) were independent variables of ChT, explaining 20.9 and 7.4% of its variance (both p<0.016), whereas age, sex, and IGF-1 were not significant confounders of ChT (p>0.975).

Conclusion ChT is associated with metabolic characteristics, i. e., BMI and HOMA-IR. Due to the key role of choroidal function in retinal physiology, future studies are needed to evaluate whether metabolic traits, ChT, and potential metabolic eye complications are mechanistically linked.



Publication History

Received: 15 November 2021
Received: 23 March 2022

Accepted: 19 April 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
21 April 2022

Article published online:
27 June 2022

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