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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the effect of lipid-lowering agents on macular edema in patients with diabetic maculopathy guided by optical coherence tomography and fundus fluorescein angiography. Backgrounds The most threatening complication of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is diabetic macular edema.The risk factors for diabetic macular edema are largely similar to those for DR, but dyslipidemia appears to play a more significant role. Serum lipid level has a direct role in the development of macular edema. Lowering of serum lipids has shown a benefit on both proliferative disease and maculopathy besides their lipid-lowering effect. Independent of accompanying macular edema, the severity of retinal hard exudates at baseline was associated with decreased visual acuity. Patients and methods The study included 80 patients with DR and hyperlipidemia; 50% of were undergoing treatment with antihyperlipidemic drugs (group I) and other 50% did not receive treatment (group II) (control group) at the Ophthalmology Clinic at the Menoufia University Hospital. Results In patients with DR and dyslipidemia, lowering of serum lipids has shown a benefit on both proliferative disease and maculopathy. Besides their lipid-lowering effect, there was a significant decrease in macular thickness measured using optical coherence tomography after 9 months of treatment with antihyperlipidemic drugs. Conclusion Dyslipidemia appears to play a direct role in the development of clinically significant macular edema. Lowering of serum lipids has shown a benefit on both proliferative DR and maculopathy, besides their lipid-lowering effect.

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