Blood filterability and hemoglobin-oxygen affinity in diabetic patients with and without retinopathy.

The relationship between the presence of retinal microangiopathy and changes in blood filterability was investigated in 30 adult diabetic patients with variable known duration of the disease. The degree of diabetic control was assessed by plasma glucose and hemoglobin A levels; oxygen affinity of hemoglobin was also evaluated. Retinopathy lesions of graded severity were present in 24 of the 30 diabetic patients; no other relevant complications of diabetes or associated pathology were observed. The diabetic patients had higher plasma glucose (11.82±1.75 vs 3.88±0.43 mmol/l, p<0.001) and hemoglobin A values (12.26±1.95 vs 7.97±0.94%, p<0.001) but lower filterability (12.09±1.37 vs 15.80±0.83 µl/sec, p<0.001) than the control subjects. In the diabetic patients, plasma glucose was significantly correlated to HbA. The hemoglobin oxygen affinity decreased with age and reduction of blood filterability was more perceptible as the severity of retinopathy increased. It is concluded that reduced blood filterability might contribute to the development and progression of retinopathy in diabetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]