The importance of serum lipids in exudative diabetic macular edema in type 2 diabetic patients.

To evaluate the relationship between serum lipid levels and exudative diabetic maculopathy in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, 27 patients with exudative diabetic macular edema were included in group A and 27 patients without exudative diabetic macular edema were included in group B. All 54 patients have nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. Blood cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c (HbAlc), and hemoglobin levels were measured in patients in group A and group B. The mean concentration of cholesterol in group A (224.30 ± 49.49 mg/dL), in group B (197.78 ± 41.49 mg/dL); triglyceride in group A (199.11 ± 90.51 mg/dL), in group B (160.78 ± 65.30 mg/dL); HDL in group A (43.48 ± 10.62 mmol/L), in group B (42.37 ± 10.92 mmol/L); LDL in group A (150.59 ± 43.96 mg/dL), in group B (124.37 ± 40.28 mg/dL); VLDL in group A (40.52 ± 16.54 mg/dL), in group B (37.89 ± 23.70 mg/dL); HbAlc in group A (9.62 ± 2.50), in group B (7.36 ± 1.62 g/dL); and hemoglobin in group A (13.46 ± 1.6 g/dL), in group B (13.90 ± 1.77 g/dL). Serum cholesterol (P = 0.38), LDL (P = 0.026), and HbAlc (P = 0.000) levels were different between the two groups. Triglyceride, HDL, VLDL, and hemoglobin levels were not different between the two groups. We must consider regulation of high blood sugar and elevated total serum cholesterol or LDL levels in patients with macular edema and high hard exudates.