Changes of lysozyme content in the lacrimal fluid in patients with diabetic retinopathy (pilot study)

Abstract

Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders in humans. Diabetes mellitus can lead to abnormalities in many tissues of the eye structure, exposing patients to the risk of developing a wide range of ocular pathologies associated with changes in its anterior and posterior segments. The most common complication is diabetic retinopathy.The aim: to assess the potential clinical significance of lacrimal lysozyme as a minimally invasive biomarker of diabetic ophthalmic disorders.Material and methods. Three groups were formed during the study. Group  1 (Control, n  =  10) included conditionally healthy people with no type  2 diabetes mellitus. Group 2 (Main 1, n = 15) included patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, but  no  diabetic manifestations in the fundus. Group  3 (Main  2, n  =  15) included patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and manifestations of diabetic retinopathy of varying degrees. In patients of all groups, the level of tear lysozyme was assessed.Results. It was found that the concentration of lacrimal fluid lysozyme in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was significantly lower than in healthy patients. In patients with diabetic retinopathy of varying degrees of manifestation (non-proliferative and proliferative forms) against the background of type  2 diabetes mellitus, significantly lower values of lysozyme were observed compared to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, but without diabetic ophthalmic manifestations.Conclusion. It is possible that local detection of lysozyme in the lacrimal fluid may be potential biomarkers of the progression of diabetic retinopathy.