AIM:To explore the levels of serum total adiponectin, high-molecular-weight(HMW)adiponectin and its ratio in type 2 diabetic retinopathy and to investigate risk factors of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS:Three hundred and seventy-four subjects were recruited from an epidemiological survey, including 88 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 124 patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 78 patients only with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 84 healthy volunteers. Demographics, physical and laboratory parameters were collected. Serum total and HMW adiponectin levels were detected by ELISA. The main statistical analysis included covariance analysis and cumulative logit model.

RESULTS:Total adiponectin level was higher in healthy group than in groups of only diabetes, non-proliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy(harmonic mean, 5.717, 3.310, 3.288, 3.822 μg/ml, F=18.792, P<0.01). Total adiponectin in proliferative diabetic retinopathy increased compared with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy(harmonic mean, 3.822, 3.288 ug/ml, P<0.05). HMW adiponectin level of healthy group is more than other groups(harmonic mean, 2.490, 1.425, 1.409, 1.633 μg/ml, F=14.025, P<0.01). HMW adiponectin among only type 2 diabetes mellitus, non-proliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy groups had no differences(P>0.05). The ratio of HMW adiponectin and total adiponectin had no differences among four groups(F=0.650, P>0.05). Drug history, high levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, total and HMW adiponectin had protective effects to the non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy(P<0.05). Older age, long duration of diabetes, high level of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were independent risk factors.

CONCLUSION:The lower concentrations of serum total and HMW adiponectin may result in the occurrence of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. And the total adiponectin level was related to the severity of diabetic retinopathy.