Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 2, 2025

Author Spotlight: Understanding Retinal Vessel Resilience and Disease Progression
Published on: January 12, 2024
Normal parathyroid hormone and non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes
Shengnan Sun1, Yahao Wang1, Wenru Ma1
1Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Medical College Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Aims/Introduction:
To investigate the associations between parathyroid hormone (PTH) and non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Materials And Methods:
Data were collected from 2,322 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in hospital between 2017 and 2019. The odds ratio (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval related to the quartiles of PTH were obtained by logistic regression analysis after adjusting the potential confounding variation.
Results:
The patients were stratified into quartiles (Q1-Q4) based on the PTH levels, with the cut-off limits of ≤23.74, 23.74-29.47, 29.47-37.30 and >37.30 pg/mL in men, and ≤24.47, 24.47-31.22, 31.22-39.49 and >39.49 pg/mL in women. The first quartile (Q1) represents the lowest quartile and the fourth quartile (Q4) is the highest. According to the quartiles (Q1-Q4), the prevalence rate of NPDR in patients showed a significantly decreasing trend (37.9%, 36.3%, 34.0% vs 24.0% in men; 43.2%, 40.5%, 31.1% vs 26.2% in women, both P < 0.05). Independent of age, diabetes duration and other metabolic factors, multivariate logistic regression showed that participants in Q4 had a lower OR of NPDR than those in Q1 (OR 0.443, 95% confidence interval 0.300-0.654, P < 0.001 for men; OR 0.428, 95% confidence interval 0.283-0.646, P < 0.001 for women).
Conclusions:
Low serum PTH levels were significantly associated with complications of NPDR in inpatients. Its causality remains to be further studied.
Related Concept Videos
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
The Parathyroid Glands
Oxyphil cells, whose functions remain elusive, emerge during late puberty, adding a layer of complexity to the parathyroid gland's intricacies. In contrast, principal parathyroid cells undertake a vital role by...
Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy
Insulin remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with type 1 and many...
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in...
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications

