Objective To explore the metabolic characteristics and related factors in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods A retrospective study was conducted on the clinical data of 467 diabetic patients hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to September 2024. The patients were divided into the DR group (n＝150) and the non-DR group (n＝317). Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were assessed using a transient elastography device, and graded into five levels. Basic data, LSM and CAP grading, and metabolic indicators were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify factors influencing DR.

Results The DR group patients were older than those in the non-DR group (P＜0.001); fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin A_1C (HbA_1C), and triglyceride (TG) levels were higher, while low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was lower than that in the non-DR group (P＜0.05). Significant differences in LSM grading were observed between the two groups (P＝0.006). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that LSM grading (grade 2: OR＝2.127, P＝0.002; grade 3: OR＝2.344, P＝0.030; grade 4: OR＝2.960, P＝0.038), FBG (OR=1.233, P＜0.001), and serum creatinine (OR＝1.013, P＝0.006) were independent factors associated with DR (P＜0.05).

Conclusions FBG, serum creatinine, and LSM are related factors of DR. In clinical practice, attention should be paid to the coordinated management of blood glucose control, renal function monitoring, and liver fibrosis assessment, with early interventions to reduce the risk of DR.