Serum Taurine Level in Relation to Ophthalmoscopic Examination as Early Marker for Diabetic Retinopathy

Aim: Investigate the possibility of using serum taurine level in addition to ophthalmoscopic examination as early marker for diagnosis diabetic retinopathy.Patients and methods: eighty diabetic patients presented with blurring in vision were chosen from the National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology after their approval.Twenty healthy volunteers were enrolled as frank control.According to the image of ophthalmoscopic examination, patients were classified into four grades (mild, moderate, sever non-proliferative and proliferative) of retinopathy.Complete clinical examination, investigation and biochemical analysis, measuring FBG, HbA1c, VEGF and taurine were measured for all included subjects.Results: Non-significance change in LDL and triglycerides for all stages with respect to control group.HDL and cholesterol showed significant with frank group.Albumin and creatinine for some stages of retinopathy showed nonsignificance changes with respect to control group.Urea recorded significant in all grades when comparing with control group, all included patients showed either micro or macroalbuminurea.AST and ALT showed highly significant in late stage comparing with frank group.Serum VEGF significant for all stages with frank group.Highly significant elevation in FBG and serum HbA1c was found parallel to the severity of disease.Compared to healthy group, a highly significant decrease in the level of serum taurine was recorded in all patients.Such decrease was correlated the grading of retinopathy ranting from mild non-proliferative to proliferative. Conclusion:We advise measuring serum taurine level and ophthalmoscopic examination regularly for all persons with diabetes as a pre early marker for diabetic retinopathy.