[Prevalence of patients with diabetes mellitus without and with retinopathy in an ophthalmology practice].
OBJECTIVE
In a prospective study 10,000 consecutive patients were interviewed and examined in a German ophthalmology practice to evaluate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy.


METHODS
Out of all patients 496 (4.96%) suffered from diabetes. In most patients (488:230 male, 258 female; mean age: 66 +/- 15 years) a clinical workup including demographic data and binocular ophthalmoscopy was performed.


RESULTS
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was present in 130 (26.6%) of the 488 diabetic patients. Subgroup analysis showed a higher prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in patients with insulin therapy (85 of 149; 57%) to those treated with oral antidiabetics (37 of 198; 19%) or diet only (8 of 141; 6%). The prevalence was significantly correlated with the duration of diabetes in the groups treated with insulin (P < 0.01) and with oral antidiabetic drugs (P < 0.001). Mild or moderate non-proliferative DR was found in 93 patients (19%), severe non-proliferative DR in 23 patients (4.7%) and proliferative DR in 14 of 488 patients (2.9%; 13 with insulin-dependent diabetes). Clinically significant diabetic macular edema was identified in 41 patients (8.4%). In 48 (9.8%) laser coagulation had already been performed: 13 cases with panretinal scatter, 18 with a focal coagulation, 17 cases with both.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a German ophthalmological referral practice is similar to the total prevalence in Germany (4.9%). Diabetic retinopathy was found in fewer patients than reported in the Wisconsin Epidemiologic Study and other recent studies in other countries. The data in this study showed that regular screening of all diabetic patients is mandatory.
Bertram
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies