• Irfan Kucuk, Ersin Tural, Betül Doğantekin, Aysin Tuba Kaplan, Egemen Kucuk, and Mehmet Emin Onde.
• Sultan 2. Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Department of Gastroenterology - Istanbul, Turkey.
• Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2022 Jan 1; 68 (11): 153715411537-1541.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate whether platelet parameters and pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with platelet activation could be surrogate markers of the diabetic retinopathy stages in type 2 diabetic patients.MethodsThis prospective case-control study included 108 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and 48 healthy controls. After fundoscopic examination, patients were divided into three groups: no retinopathy, nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, or proliferative retinopathy. Platelet selectin, interleukin-1alpha, and interleukin-6 values were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance formula was used to assess insulin resistance in patients.ResultsMean platelet volume was lower and interleukin-1alpha was higher in the patients compared to the healthy controls (p=0.046 and p<0.001, respectively). In addition, a positive correlation between the platelet distribution width and HbA1C levels was observed in the patients (r=0.334, p<0.001).ConclusionIn the studies evaluating the utility of platelet indices and the associated cytokines in diabetic retinopathy, there is a need for the standardization of the measurements. All medications that can affect platelet activation should be taken into consideration.

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