A clinical correlation of conjunctival microangiopathy with grades of retinopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Publication date: Available online 16 February 2017
Source:Medical Journal Armed Forces India
Author(s): M.A. Khan, Manasa Katta, V.S. Gurunadh, P.S. Moulick, Sandeep Gupta, Alok Sati
BackgroundConjunctival microangiopathy has been described among diabetics similar to retinal vessel angiopathy. Correlation of these conjunctival microangiopathy changes with retinopathy may form the basis of screening by external examination without expert fundus evaluation.MethodsConjunctival vessels widths and tortuous segment length of conjunctival vessels of 96 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were photographed and measured by the Zeiss Fundus camera Visupac software. The measurements were correlated with retinopathy grade in those eyes.ResultsThe mean conjunctival vessel width was 40.61μ (SD 17.25) with a uniform increase from 34.4μ (SD 8.70) in mild NPDR to 53.50μ (SD 33.45) in the PDR group which was statistically significant (p<0.01). The tortuous conjunctival vessel segment length increased from 711.51μ (SD 83.90) in the mild NPDR group to 921.94μ (SD 129.26) in those with PDR (p<0.01). Vessel width greater than 80μ was seen only in PDR and tortuosity values greater than 900μ were seen in severe grades (severe NPDR and PDR). Both conjunctival vessel width and tortuosity showed a positive statistical correlation with increasing severity of retinopathy (r=0.386, r²=0.149 and r=0.645, r²=0.415).ConclusionA positive correlation was seen between conjunctival vessel width and tortuosity with severity of retinopathy. Widths over 80μ and tortuous segment length over 900μ are suggestive of severe grades of retinopathy.



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