Anticardiolipin antibodies in proliferative diabetic retinopathy: An additional risk factor

Purpose: To report the prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with proliferativediabetic retinopathy (PDR) having high-risk criteria (HRC).Methods: Diabetic patients having PDR with HRC and diabetics free of retinopathy were compared for the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies. Results: Among the 34 patients, 6 (17.7%) of diabetics having PDR with HRC were positive for anticardiolipin antibodies. There was no significant association of aCL antibodies with sex or type of diabetes. Using Pearson’s correlation test, no significant associations of aCL antibodies with duration of diabetes or age of patients were found. All patients who were positive for anticardiolipin antibodies had PDR with HRC. The difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: Presence of anticardiolipin antibodies may represent an additional risk factor for PDR.