AIM: To investigate the relationship between serum homocysteine(Hcy)and anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(AION)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS: One hundred patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who treated in Hebei Eye Hospital from January 2016 to April 2019 were divided into two groups: group A(n=53)without AION, group B(n=47)with AION. Thirty-eight healthy volunteers were used as control group(group C). The serum levels of Hcy, triglyceride cholesterol(TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), creatinine(Cr), gycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c), blood pressure, best corrected visual acuity were detected. To analyze the correlation between serum Hcy level and the clinical indicators in AION in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

RESULTS: The level of Hcy in group B was significantly higher than that in group A and group C \〖(13.87±5.02)μmol/L ratio(11.83±3.49)μmol/L, and(11.06±3.62)μmol/L, all P<0.05\〗.The group B HHcy incidence(36.2%)was significantly higher than that in group A(11.3%)and group C(10.5%).The level of Hcy was positively correlated with HbA1c(r=0.517, P=0.001)and negatively correlated with BCVA(r=-0.353, P=0.026)after adjustment for age, TG, LDL-C, Cr, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and course of diabetes mellitus.

CONCLUSION: The level of Hcy in serum may be involved in the pathogenesis of AION in type 2 diabetic patients. Hcy may be a potential target for preventing and treating AION in type 2 diabetic patients.