Using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus

PurposeTo assess long-term ophthalmic and clinical blood test changes in patients with different severities of diabetic retinopathy (DR).MethodsWe performed a longitudinal case-control study of 130 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and 67 controls, including visual acuities from 2,201 eye clinic...

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Main Authors: Fanny Huang, Miaomiao Yu, Laura Huang, Ruikang K. Wang, Theodore Leng, Sophia Y. Wang, Yaping Joyce Liao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1499344/full
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author Fanny Huang
Miaomiao Yu
Laura Huang
Laura Huang
Ruikang K. Wang
Theodore Leng
Sophia Y. Wang
Yaping Joyce Liao
Yaping Joyce Liao
author_facet Fanny Huang
Miaomiao Yu
Laura Huang
Laura Huang
Ruikang K. Wang
Theodore Leng
Sophia Y. Wang
Yaping Joyce Liao
Yaping Joyce Liao
author_sort Fanny Huang
collection DOAJ
description PurposeTo assess long-term ophthalmic and clinical blood test changes in patients with different severities of diabetic retinopathy (DR).MethodsWe performed a longitudinal case-control study of 130 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and 67 controls, including visual acuities from 2,201 eye clinic visits and 44,833 blood tests. We also analyzed optic disc and macular structure and vasculature using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and angiography (OCTA).ResultsNinety-one percent of eyes in diabetic patients had stable visual acuity (better than 20/40) over 7 years. Cluster analysis revealed most prominent blood test changes in the DM included elevated glucose and hemoglobin A1c and evidence of nephropathy. Optic disc OCTA was most correlated with OCT in the superior and inferior quadrants. Notably, peripapillary and macular OCTA measurements revealed evidence of microvascular drop out even in those with DR grade 0.ConclusionsMajority of patients with DM monitored by physicians maintained good visual acuity over years. Ophthalmic imaging revealed evidence of early vascular changes even in patients without evidence of DR on clinical exam and color fundus imaging. In addition to ophthalmic functional and structural assessments, clinical blood tests for renal function are also important early biomarkers of end organ damage in DM.
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spelling doaj-art-92426529eb474cbf92d80a02ae7440792025-08-20T02:08:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare2673-66162025-04-01610.3389/fcdhc.2025.14993441499344Using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitusFanny Huang0Miaomiao Yu1Laura Huang2Laura Huang3Ruikang K. Wang4Theodore Leng5Sophia Y. Wang6Yaping Joyce Liao7Yaping Joyce Liao8Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesDepartment of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesDepartment of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesDepartment of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesDepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesDepartment of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesDepartment of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesDepartment of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesDepartment of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesPurposeTo assess long-term ophthalmic and clinical blood test changes in patients with different severities of diabetic retinopathy (DR).MethodsWe performed a longitudinal case-control study of 130 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and 67 controls, including visual acuities from 2,201 eye clinic visits and 44,833 blood tests. We also analyzed optic disc and macular structure and vasculature using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and angiography (OCTA).ResultsNinety-one percent of eyes in diabetic patients had stable visual acuity (better than 20/40) over 7 years. Cluster analysis revealed most prominent blood test changes in the DM included elevated glucose and hemoglobin A1c and evidence of nephropathy. Optic disc OCTA was most correlated with OCT in the superior and inferior quadrants. Notably, peripapillary and macular OCTA measurements revealed evidence of microvascular drop out even in those with DR grade 0.ConclusionsMajority of patients with DM monitored by physicians maintained good visual acuity over years. Ophthalmic imaging revealed evidence of early vascular changes even in patients without evidence of DR on clinical exam and color fundus imaging. In addition to ophthalmic functional and structural assessments, clinical blood tests for renal function are also important early biomarkers of end organ damage in DM.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1499344/fulldiabetic retinopathyophthalmic imagingoptic nerveophthalmic coherence tomographyvision loss
spellingShingle Fanny Huang
Miaomiao Yu
Laura Huang
Laura Huang
Ruikang K. Wang
Theodore Leng
Sophia Y. Wang
Yaping Joyce Liao
Yaping Joyce Liao
Using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus
Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare
diabetic retinopathy
ophthalmic imaging
optic nerve
ophthalmic coherence tomography
vision loss
title Using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus
title_full Using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus
title_fullStr Using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus
title_full_unstemmed Using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus
title_short Using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus
title_sort using blood biomarkers and ophthalmological indicators of optical coherence tomography and angiography for the diagnosis of fundus lesions in patients with diabetes mellitus
topic diabetic retinopathy
ophthalmic imaging
optic nerve
ophthalmic coherence tomography
vision loss
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1499344/full
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