THE LEVEL OF ERYTHROCYTE ALDOSE REDUCTASE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SEVERITY OF DIABETIC-RETINOPATHY

To examine whether the level of erythrocyte aldose reductase is a risk factor for the severity of diabetic retinopathy, the enzyme level in 97 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients was measur ed by the two-site enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Based on the res ults of fundus photography and biomicroscopy, the severity of retinopa thy was classified among NIDDM patients of more than 10 years. The lev el of erythrocyte aldose reductase was significantly higher in the pat ients with active proliferative retinopathy than in those with nonprol iferative or quiescent proliferative retinopathy. Multivariate logisti c regression analysis demonstrated that the level of erythrocyte aldos e reductase was an independent risk factor for active proliferative re tinopathy (odds ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.61). The results suggest that a high level of erythrocyte aldose reductase in N IDDM patients may affect the prognosis of diabetic retinopathy. Patien ts with high enzyme levels would need to be closely followed up in the management of the retinal complication. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ire land Ltd.