Diabetic retinopathy and hemoglobin A1.

A prospective study was conducted in 36 diabetic patients to correlate the fasting blood sugar level (FBS) and the levels of hemoglobin A1 (HbA1) with the severity and progression of diabetic retinopathy. During an average follow-up of 12.6 +/- 2.9 months, the FBS and HbA1 levels were determined and progression of diabetic retinopathy assessed by fluorescein fundus angiography. The time-averaged HbA1 and FBS were correlated significantly. The HbA1 levels were significantly augmented in the order of good, fair and poor sugar control groups. The patients with progressive retinopathy had significantly higher FBS and HbA1 levels than the patients whose retinopathy remained unchanged. The correlation between the HbA1 level and the severity of retinopathy was not statistically significant. It was concluded that the combination of HbA1 and FBS levels will be useful for long-term control of diabetes and of progression of retinopathy.