Prevalence of retinopathy in diabetes treated with oral antihyperglycaemic agents.

In a random sample of all diabetics treated with oral antihyperglycaemic agents on the island of Gotland, Sweden, retinopathy (Rp) was present in 24 (17%) of 140 patients examined. Eighteen patients had background Rp. 7 of these with exudative lesions. Four patients had pre-proliferative and 2 proliferative Rp. On multiple logistic regression analysis a significant correlation was found between Rp on the one hand and a longer duration and a younger age at onset of the diabetes, on the other. Rp was also significantly correlated to higher levels of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA 1C). In an additional analysis restricted to the group with Rp, higher levels of HbA 1C were found in persons with Rp of a more severe degree. On a simple logistic regression analysis, a significant correlation (P less than 0.05) was found between a high body mass index and a low prevalence of Rp. on multiple regression analysis this correlation became weaker (P = 0.06).