Assessment of the Relationship between Diabetic Retinopathy and Nailfold Capillaries in Type 2 Diabetics with a Noninvasive Method: Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy

Abstract

<i>Background and Objectives</i>. Nailfold capillaroscopy is an easy and noninvasive technique used to investigate dermal microvasculature. Traditional investigations of vascularity do not detect changes until they are well-established in type 2 diabetics. The objective of the current study was to evaluate nailfold capillaries in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and to determine the association of retinopathy with changes in the nailfold capillaries. <i>Materials and Methods</i>. Capillaroscopic findings by nailfold capillaroscopy and fundoscopic examinations were assessed in 216 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 101 healthy controls included in this prospective study. <i>Results</i>. Retinopathy was detected in 43.05% of diabetic patients (<i>n</i> = 93). Capillaroscopic findings including tortuosity (<i>p</i> < 0.001), bushy capillary (<i>p</i> < 0.001), neoformation (<i>p</i> < 0.001), bizarre capillary (<i>p</i> < 0.001), microhemorrhage (<i>p</i> = 0.001), capillary ectasia (<i>p</i> = 0.002), and aneurysm (<i>p</i> = 0.004) were significantly higher in diabetic group than control group. In logistic regression analysis, only tortuosity was shown significant (OR, 2.16; <i>p</i> = 0.036). There was also a significant relation between diabetes duration and most of the capillaroscopic findings. <i>Conclusion</i>. Capillaroscopic changes were found to be correlated with diabetic retinopathy, in particular with longer disease duration in our study. Capillaroscopic imaging could be a useful new technique for assessment of diabetic microvascular changes.