Relationship between C-reactive protein levels and choroidal thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

ZHANG Yuanqing; WU Hao; ZHAO Ding

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1002-7386.2025.03.006

Abstract：Objective The aim of this study is to explore the potential pathological mechanisms of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and diabetic retinopathy by assessing the correlation between C-reactive protein(CRP)levels and choroidal thickness(CT)in T2DM patients.Methods Sixty-two inpatients with T2DM(diabetes group)from the Endocrinology Department who consulted the Ophthalmology Department at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University and 62 healthy individuals(control group)from the Physical Examination Center of the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University were enrolled.Correlation analyses were conducted between the choroidal thickness(CT)of the subfoveal,nasal and temporal regions with CRP levels,potential influencing factors such as gender,smoking status,and BMI.Linear regression analysis was employed to quantify the relationship between CT and CRP levels.Results The CRP levels in the diabetic group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group,while the CT of subfoveal,nasal,and temporal were significantly lower(P＜0.01).Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between CRP levels and the average CT in the diabetic group(P＜0.01),but no significant correlation between CRP levels and the average CT in the control group(P＞0.05).The potential influencing factors such as sex ratio,smoking status,and body mass index(BMI)showed no significant correlation with the average CT between groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion The data on the correlation between CRP levels and choroidal thickness changes in type 2 diabetes patients contribute to unveiling the potential pathological mechanisms of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy,providing a new perspective for clinical diagnosis and treatment.