Diabetes Metab J.  2018 Oct;42(5):425-432. 10.4093/dmj.2017.0107.

The Association between Pancreatic Steatosis and Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

• Jeong JS
• Kim MK
• Han KD
• Hong OK
• Baek KH
• Song KH
• Chung DJ
• Lee JM
• Kwon HS

• KMID: 2422787
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2017.0107

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Whether pancreatic steatosis has a local or systemic effect, like ectopic fat of other major organs, remains unknown. Data on the influence of pancreatic steatosis on microvascular complication are rare. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between pancreatic steatosis and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
METHODS
The attenuation of three pancreatic regions (head, body, and tail) and the spleen (S) in 186 patients with T2DM was measured using non-enhanced computed tomography imaging. We used three parameters for the assessment of pancreatic steatosis ("˜P' mean: mean attenuation of three pancreatic regions; P-S: difference between "˜P' mean and "˜S'; P/S: the "˜P' mean to "˜S' ratio). The presence of DR was assessed by an expert ophthalmologist using dilated fundoscopy.
RESULTS
The average P mean was 29.02 Hounsfield units (HU), P-S was −18.20 HU, and P/S was 0.61. The three pancreatic steatosis parameters were significantly associated with the prevalence of DR in non-obese T2DM patients. In the non-obese group, the odds ratios of P mean, P-S, and P/S for the prevalence of DR, after adjustment for age, sex, and glycosylated hemoglobin level, were 2.449 (P=0.07), 2.639 (P=0.04), and 2.043 (P=0.02), respectively.
CONCLUSION
In this study, pancreatic steatosis was significantly associated with DR in non-obese patients with T2DM. Further studies are necessary to clarify the causal relationship between pancreatic steatosis and the development of DR.

Keyword

Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Diabetic retinopathy; Fats; Pancreas

MeSH Terms

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2*
Diabetic Retinopathy*
Fats
Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated
Humans
Odds Ratio
Pancreas
Prevalence
Spleen
Fats

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) according to the degree of pancreatic steatosis parameters in non-obese and obese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. (A) P mean (mean attenuation of three pancreatic regions [head, body, and tail]). (B) P–S (difference between P mean and S). (C) P/S (the P mean to S ratio). Each pancreatic steatosis parameter was divided into four quartiles, and the mean of each quartile was defined as Q1 to Q4.

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