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Serum transforming growth factor-β levels in patients with diabetic retinopathy

LUO Da-wei, ZHENG Zhi, LIU Kun, ZHU Bi-jun, XIA Xin, XU Xun, ZOU Hai-dong   

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, the First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200080, China
  • Online:2013-07-28 Published:2013-08-22
  • Supported by:

    Shanghai Key Laboratory for Ocular Fundus Disease Foundation, 07Z22911

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the serum transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) levels in patients with diabetic retinopathy  (DR). Methods Seventy-two patients with diabetes were selected, including 15 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR group), 32 patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR group) and 25 patients with non-diabetic retinopathy group (NDR group). Besides, 45 healthy people were served as normal control group. The serum TGF-β levels were detected by ELISA. Results Serum TGF-β levels in groups with diabetes were significantly higher than that in normal control group (P<0.01). Serum TGF-β level in PDR group was significantly higher than those in NPDR group and NDR group (P<0.05). Conclusion Serum TGF-β level is associated with the severity of diabetic retinopathy.

Key words: diabetic retinopathy, transforming growth factor-β, proliferative diabetic retinopathy