The Level of Interleukin-6 Plasma in Diabetes Mellitus Patients with and Without Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus in the form of microvascular (aneurysma) which can cause blindness. Interleukin-6 is a pro - inflammatory cytokine produced by monocyte macrophage in the early inflammation. Chronic inflammation plays the role on artherosclerosis event, because it is directly correlated with all phases of it and cardiovascular disease as well. The aim of this study is to know the difference in plasma IL-6 levels among patients suffering from diabetes mellitus together with diabetic retinopathy and without diabetic retinopathy. This study is an observational analytical research with cross sectional design. The samples were taken randomly as many as 16 patients, divided in each group suffering from or without retinopathy. The diabetic mellitus patients were established through their related history and were examined randomly for blood glucose and their fundus or retinal abnormality. The level of IL-6 was examined by ELISA method with double antibody sandwich streptavidin - biotin. Based on this study it was found that the mean plasma levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) of the diabetic mellitus patients with retinopathy was 1.165 ± 0.296 pg/mL and the mean plasma levels of IL-6 with diabetes mellitus without retinopathy was 0.879 ± 0.230 pg/mL. Based on the normality test with Shapiro-Wilk the data showed a normal distribution (p>0.05), while the Levene’s homogenity test obtained homogeneous with p= 0.369 (p>0,05). The statistical analysis with two independent samples t-test showed that there were significant differences between the groups of patients who suffered diabetes mellitus with retinopathy and without retinopathy (p=0.005). It can be concluded so far that the mean levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) plasma in diabetic mellitus patients with retinopathy is higher compared to patients with the same disease but without retinopathy.   Retinopati diabetika merupakan komplikasi dari diabetes melitus berupa mikrovaskular (aneurysma) yang berpeluang kuat menyebabkan kebutaan. Interleukin 6 merupakan salah satu sitokin proinflamasi yang dihasilkan oleh monosit/makrofag pada awal inflamasi. Inflamasi kronis memegang peran utama peristiwa aterosklerosis, karena berhubungan secara langsung dengan seluruh tahapan dan kejadian penyakit kardiovaskuler. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui perbedaan kadar IL-6 plasma antara pasien diabetes melitus pengidap retinopati diabetika dan yang tanpa. Metode penelitian ini adalah kajian analisis observasional dengan rancang bangun potong silang. Sampel yang digunakan diambil secara acak sebanyak 16 pasien untuk setiap kelompok retinopati dan tanpa. Pasien diabetes melitus ditetapkan berdasarkan riwayat yang bersangkutan dan pemeriksaan kadar glukosa darahnya sewaktu dan dilihat keberadaan kelainan di fundus atau retina. Pemeriksaan kadar interleukin-6 (IL-6) dilakukan dengan metode ELISA dengan asas double antibody sandwich streptavidin biotin. Rerata kadar interleukin 6 (IL-6) plasma pasien diabetes melitus dengan retinopati yaitu 1,165 ± 0,296 pg/mL dan rerata kadar IL-6 plasma pasien diabetes melitus tanpa retinopati yaitu 0,879 ± 0,230 pg/ mL. Berdasarkan uji normalitas dengan Shapiro-Wilk diperoleh data bersebaran normal (p>0,05), sedangkan uji homogenitas dengan uji Levene diperoleh data homogen dengan p = 0,369 (p>0,05). Analisis statistik dengan uji t dua sampel bebas menunjukkan bahwa terdapat perbedaan yang bermakna antara kelompok pasien diabetes melitus dengan retinopati dan yang tanpa (p=0,005). Rerata kadar interleukin-6 (IL-6) plasma di pasien diabetes melitus dengan retinopati lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan yang tanpa.