Correlation Between the Ratio of Uric Acid to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (UHR) and Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus:A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Considering the uncertain relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and uric acid (UA) with diabetic retinopathy (DR),this study investigates the link between Uric Acid to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (UHR) and DR in T2DM patients, evaluating its potential for DR diagnosis and early prediction.

STUDY DESIGN AND DATA COLLECTION

This retrospective study analyzed 1450 type 2 diabetes patients, divided into NDR and DR groups by retinal exams. We gathered demographic and clinical data, calculated UHR, and explored its correlation with DR development.

OUTCOMES

Individuals diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy (DR) exhibited a markedly elevated uric acid to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (UHR) ratio when contrasted with those without DR (NDR), achieving statistical significance with a P-value below 0.001. The Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test for linear association validated a pronounced positive correlation between the UHR ratio and the incidence of DR (P<0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that age, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), uric acid (UA), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and the UHR ratio were all independent risk factors for the development of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that the UHR ratio was the most precise predictor for diagnosing DR, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 78.4%, a sensitivity of 87%, and a specificity of 60.6%.

CONCLUSION

Our research has found that the UHR ratio is an independent risk factor for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes and can serve as a readily available indicator that takes into account both metabolic status and inflammatory status for the early detection of DR.