High systolic blood pressure increases prevalence and severity of retinopathy in NIDDM patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the severity of retinopathy is higher in a group of NIDDM patients with sBP greater than or equal to 140 mmHg compared with NIDDM patients with sBP less than 140 mmHg.


METHODS
Ophthalmoscopy and FAG were conducted among a group of NIDDM patients with either a sBP above (n = 54) or below (n = 55) 140 mmHg. The groups were matched according to diabetes duration, metabolic control (HbA1c), and AER.


RESULTS
Patients with sBP greater than 140 mmHg had a higher prevalence of retinopathy, as established according to a rating scale (4.9 +/- 3.8 vs. 3.2 +/- 3.3, P less than 0.02); furthermore, their BMI values were higher (28.1 +/- 4.5 vs. 24.9 +/- 4.1 kg/m2, P less than 0.001). The group of normotensive subjects showed the highest rate of low grading (0-2) values. However, the highest prevalence rates of 8-10 grading values (proliferative retinopathy) were found in the hypertensive group.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that sBP values greater than or equal to 140 mmHg favor the onset of retinopathy in NIDDM patients during their 1st 10 yr of disease.
Cignarelli
M
M
Istituto di Clinica Medica, Endocrinologia e Malattie Metaboliche, Università di Bari, Italy.
De Cicco
M L
ML
Damato
A
A
Paternostro
A
A
Pagliarini
S
S
Santoro
S
S
Cardia
L
L
De Pergola
G
G
Giorgino
R
R
D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003971:Diastole; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013599:Systole; D013997:Time Factors
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin