Introduction: Type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90 to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is associated with microvascular complications, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR).A case control study was conducted to find out the relation of Glycosylated haemoglobin and serum lipids in diabetics and in diabetic retinopathy.

Materials and Methods: The study was done in 3 groups: diabetics, diabetics with retinopathy and normal control groups.

Results: The mean HbA_1c level , Mean values of total cholesterol, triglycerides, VLDL, LDL, were found to be significantly higher in diabetics with retinopathy and Mean values of HDL was significantly lower in diabetics with retinopathy, when compared to diabetics without complications and with normal controls.

Conclusion: Higher levels of HbA_1c and serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL levels are responsible for microvascular changes in diabetes and leading to retinopathy

Keywords: Glycosylated haemoglobin, lipid profile, type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without retinopathy.

1. Wild S, Roglic G, Green A, Sicree R, King H. Global prevalence ofdiabetes: Estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030. Diabetes Care 2004; 27: p 1047-53.
2. Rizza R, Gerich J, Haymond M, et al. Control of blood sugar in insulin-dependent diabetes: comparison of an artificial endocrine pancreas, subcutaneous insulin infusion and intensified conventional insulin therapy. N Engl J Med. 1980;303:1313–1318.
3. American Diabetes Association. Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Care, January 2006;Vol 29 (Supp1): S 43-48.
4. Larsen, Kronberg, Polonsky. William’s Textbook of Endocrinology.10th edition, Saunders Publications. p 1427-1437.
5. Fauci, Braunwald, Kasper Hauser, Longo, Jameson, Loscalzo. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine, McGraw Hill. 17th edition Vol. 11; p2109.
6. Gojka Roglic, Nigel Unwin, Peter H. Bennett, ColinMathers, Jaakko Tuomilhto, Satyajit Nag et.al., The Burden of Mortality Attributable to Diabetes Realistic estimates for the year 2000, Diabetes Care, 2005 28:2130–2135
7. Mcnair P, Christian c and madsbad s,hypomagnesimia a risk factor in diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes, 1978 27,1075-1077
8. M. Bernett, M.Guo and S.C.Dharmage. HbA1c as a screening tool for detection of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. Diabetic Medicine, 2007; 24: p 333-343.
9. Gabbay H,  Hasty  K, Breslow J W,  Ellison R C,  Bunn H F, Gallop PM. Glycosylated hemoglobin and long term blood glucose control in diabetes mellitus. J ClinEndocrinolMetab1977; 44:859-864.
10. Koenig RJ, Peterson CM, Jones RL, Saudek C, Lehrman M, Cerami A. Correlation of glucose regulation and hemoglobin A_1c in  diabetes  N Engl J Med 1976; 295: 417-20.
11. Rodriguez-Moran M AND Guerrero-Romero F. Oral magnesium suppleme-ntation improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic control in Type 2 diabetic subject. Diabetes care (2003) Apr 26 (4) 1147-1152.
12. Fong DS: Changing times for the management of diabetic retinopathy. SurvOphthalmol 2002; 47:S238–S245.
13. Leonid Poretsky,Principles of Diabetes Mellitus,Second Edition,Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg Londone-ISBN 978-0-387-09841-8.
14. Boucher, B.J, Welch, S.G and Beer. M (1981)Glycosylated haemoglobin in diagn-osis of DM and for assessment of chronic hyperglycemia.Diabetologia. 21, 34.
15. Dornan TL, Carter RD, Bron AJ, Turner RC, Mann JI. Low densitylipoprotein cholesterol: an association with the severity of diabeticretinopathy. Diabetologia 1982;22:167-70.
16. Miccoli R, Odello G, Giampetro O, Marchetti P, Cristofani R, PennoG,et al. Circulating lipid levels and severity of diabetic retinopathy in typeI diabetes mellitus.OphthalmicRes 1987;19:52-6.
17. P. Suryavanshi, A.K. Bhutey, A.N. Nagdeote,   A. A.  Jadhav, G.S. Manoorkar. Study of lipid peroxide and lipid profile in diabetes mellitus.  Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry, 2006; 21(1): 126-130
18. BhallaKapil, ShuklaRimi, GuptaV.P, PrabhuK.M. Glycosylated proteins and serum lipid profile in complicated and uncomplicated NIDDM patients. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry, 1995; 10(2): 57-61.

Dr Zubaida.P.A

Professor, Department of Physiology,

Government Medical College, Calicut, Kerala, India