The organ that signals heart problems in diabetes has been identified

Scientists from the University of Leicester have discovered that regular ophthalmological screening in people with type 2 diabetes can reveal hidden heart dysfunctions. The results of the study are published in the journal Scientific Reports (SciRep).

Type 2 diabetes damages blood vessels throughout the body, including both large arteries and microvessels. One of the most well-known complications of this process is diabetic retinopathy, which is why patients regularly undergo retinal photography. Researchers hypothesized that changes in the retinal vessels might also reflect cardiovascular abnormalities that are not noticeable in the early stages.

To test this hypothesis, scientists examined 255 patients with type 2 diabetes. Participants underwent a series of non-invasive heart examinations, after which the obtained data were compared with the results of standard retinal screening. The analysis showed that the presence of diabetic retinopathy is associated with so-called "silent" cardiovascular problems.

Patients with retinal vascular damage were more likely to show signs of coronary heart disease and early manifestations of heart failure, even if clinical symptoms were absent. According to the authors, this indicates the systemic nature of vascular damage in diabetes.

The researchers note that the results of the work open up the possibility of wider use of existing ophthalmological screening programs. Vision screening data can serve as an additional marker of increased cardiovascular risk and help identify dangerous changes at an early stage, even before the appearance of pronounced complaints.