Circulating Leukocyte Alterations and the Development/Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 1 Diabetic Patients - A Pilot Study.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between alterations in circulating leukocytes and the initiation and progression of DR in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods: Forty-one patients with T1D [13 mild non-proliferative DR (mNPDR), 14 active proliferative DR (aPDR) and 14 inactive PDR (iPDR)], and 13 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited prospectively. Circulating leukocytes, including CD4 and CD8 T-cells, CD14CD16, CD14CD16 and CD14CD16 monocytes; CD16HLA-DR neutrophils, CD19 B-cells and CD56 natural killer cells and their cell surface adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors (HLA-DR, CD62L, CCR2, CCR5, CD66a, CD157 and CD305) were examined by flow cytometry.