title: Does the prepubertal duration of diabetes influence the onset of microvascular complications?
abstract: This study investigated the relationship between the development of diabetic retinopathy and pubertal status at onset of diabetes in 521 Type 1 diabetic patients diagnosed between 1950 and 1985. Pubertal status was based on age at onset (girls > or = 11 years and boys > or = 12 years). Retinopathy (all forms) developed in 112 patients (21.5%; 65 background and 47 proliferative retinopathy). For subjects diagnosed in either the prepubertal or postpubertal period, a similar proportion survived without developing retinopathy for any given duration of diabetes (chi 2 = 0.3822, p = 0.54). However, if only the postpubertal duration of diabetes is considered, then the proportion of patients surviving without retinopathy was significantly less for those diagnosed in the prepubertal period (chi 2 = 14.2, p = 0.002). This study suggests that the prepubertal duration of diabetes is an important phase and that the years prior to puberty do contribute to the risk of developing microvascular injury.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research, Leicester General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hearnshaw
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Burden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis