Correlation of C-Reactive protein levels with severity of diabetic retinopathy

Background: Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness in the active age group and a common microvascular complication of diabetes. Increased oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetes contribute to neurovascular damage, which plays a key role in DR development. Elevated C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels, linked to inflammation, have been associated with higher risks of diabetic complications, including retinopathy. This study aims to evaluate the correlation between CRP levels and the severity of diabetic retinopathy, offering potential insights for improved management.Objectives: To correlate the level of C-reactive protein levels with severity of Diabetic Retinopathy, To Assess CRP level in patients with diabetes, to correlate the level of CRP with the severity of Diabetic Retinopathy.Methods: 52 patients over 30 years of age with greater than 5 years duration of type 2 diabetes were included in this study. After getting informed consent patients were subjected to ophthalmic examination and their CRP levels was measuredResults: In the present study, we have found that as the HbA1c level increases, the severity of the diabetic retinopathy also increases and it was found to be statistically significant (P=0.000*). Among the subjects with raised CRP, 5% mild, 21% moderate and 74% severe diabetic retinopathy. Among the subjects with normal CRP, 61% mild, 36% moderate, 3% had severe diabetic retinopathy and it was found to be statistically significant (P=0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of CRP in diabetic retinopathy were 93.30% and 27% respectively.Conclusion: The present study shows that CRP levels correlate well with stage of diabetic retinopathy. This study also show that CRP level might be used as a biomarker to determine the severity of DR. So, CRP can be used as a reliable screening tool to predict diabetic retinopathy.