PubMed ID: 9076207
Author(s): Klein R, Palta M, Allen C, Shen G, Han DP, D’Alessio DJ. Incidence of retinopathy and associated risk factors from time of diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes. Arch Ophthalmol. 1997 Mar;115(3):351-6.
Journal: Archives Of Ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960), Volume 115, Issue 3, Mar 1997
OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence at baseline and 4-year incidence of retinopathy and its relation to glycemic control from the time of diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes.
DESIGN Geographically defined population-based study.
SETTING Twenty-eight-county area in Wisconsin.
STUDY POPULATION Incipient cohort of children, teenagers, and young adults (n = 354) up to 30 years of age with newly diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Diabetic retinopathy as determined by gradings from 30 degrees color stereoscopic photographs of the Diabetic Retinopathy Study 7 standard fields.
RESULTS The prevalence of retinopathy at diagnosis was 1.3%. Four years after diagnosis of diabetes, retinopathy was first identified in 5.1% of our cohort and in 9.7% of those 15 years of age or older. After controlling for age, subjects with a mean glycosylated hemoglobin level of 12% or greater were 3.2 times as likely (95% confidence interval, 1.1-9.9) to have retinopathy present at follow-up as were subjects with a mean glycosylated hemoglobin level of less than 12%.
CONCLUSION Population-based data on the frequency and incidence of retinopathy from the time of diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus provided by this study suggest a possible reduction in risk of developing retinopathy in those in whom glycemic control is achieved from the time of diagnosis.