Investigation of galectin-1 levels in anterior chamber samples of diabetic patients and comparison with pupillometry measurements

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the levels of galectin-1 (Gal-1) in the anterior chamber fluid obtained during cataract surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes, and to compare these values with those of a systemically healthy cataract control group. In addition, possible relationships between pupillometry measurements, glycemic control, and inflammatory markers were evaluated. Methods The study included 48 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 42 control subjects without any systemic disease. Approximately 0.2 mL of aqueous humor was collected from each participant during cataract surgery. Gal-1 levels were analyzed using the Human Galectin-1 ELISA Kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Preoperative venous blood samples were collected into K 2 EDTA tubes for complete blood count (CBC) and EDTA tubes for HbA1c (%) measurement. Pupil diameter was measured under scotopic, mesopic, and photopic conditions using the Schwind Sirius pupillometry device. Results The mean HbA1c value was 5.26 ± 0.40 % in the control group and 8.44 ± 1.93 % in the diabetic group. While the Gal-1 level was 10.46 ± 0.79 ng/mL in the control group, it was 13.45 ± 2.55 ng/mL in the diabetic group. A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. According to the results, NLR (neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio) was found to be 1.69 ± 0.26 in the control group and 2.12 ± 0.96 in the diabetes group. According to the Pearson correlation results, a positive correlation was found between Gal-1 level and HbA1c, while a negative correlation was found between Gal-1 and values related to pupil diameter obtained on the pupillometry device. Conclusions The future of Gal-1 in diabetes research is multifaceted and has potential applications in biomarker development, therapeutic targeting for diabetic complications, and modulation of metabolic processes.