Unravelling the Influence of Demographic and Lifestyle Factors on Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 in Diabetic Retinopathy Patients

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the association of Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) level with Age, blood glucose level, Exercise, Gender and Smoking in diabetic retinopathy patients. Study Design and settings: A case-control study was carried in the physiology department at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi From April 2019 to October 2020. Methodology: One hundred people were divided into four groups which were; Group D (n=25) were healthy normal individuals; Group C (n=25) diabetic patient's with moderate retinopathy; Group B (n=25) diabetic patient's with mild retinopathy while Group A (n=25) diabetic patients with no retinopathy. Every participant was checked for blood sugar level, retinoscopy through slit lamp examination and serum MCP-1 level. The association was made between diabetic retinopathy, MCP-1 protein levels, age, gender, smoking and exercise. Results: MCP-1 levels are significantly greater in diabetic males with moderate retinopathy compared to diabetic females with moderate retinopathy (p-value 0.042). Similarly, smoking is associated with the elevation of MCP-1 levels in diabetic patients with moderate retinopathy (p-value 0.05). Exercise has no significant effect on MCP-1 levels in all groups. An increase in age, HbA1C, fasting and random blood glucose levels were significantly correlated with MCP-1 levels ( pvalue 0.000) Conclusion: It is concluded from the study that an advance in age and an increase in blood glucose level are associated with an increased level of MCP-1 protein. Moreover, Male gender and smoking are also associated with enhanced MCP- 1 levels in diabetic patients with moderate retinopathy.