AbstractBackground:The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of, and traditional and emerging risk factors associated with, retinopathy in a hospital-based population of Australian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study of 483 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Medical files were audited to collect all relevant clinical data. Diabetic retinopathy was assessed from colour retinal images by an ophthalmologist.Results:Diabetic retinopathy was observed in 11 (2.3%) participants. Logistic regression revealed that the principal components analysis derived risk profile of: higher serum creatinine, older age, higher systolic blood pressures, higher body mass index, abnormal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (<59 mL/min), lower high density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol, higher serum sodium, longer duration of diabetes and narrower retinal arteriolar calibre was associated with diabetic retinopathy (ExpB=2.60, 95% CI 1.36/4.96, p=0.004).Conclusions:These results support the concept that the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy is likely due to the combined influence of various risk factors, many already identified.
Retinal Vascular Fractal Dimension and Risk of Early Diabetic Retinopathy: A prospective study of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes