Detection and prevalence of early diabetic retinopathy in juvenile diabetics with diabetes for 10 years or more.
OBJECTIVE
To compare clinical examination using green light with clinical examination using white light in detecting early diabetic retinopathy (DR) in juvenile diabetic patients with disease for 10 or more years.


METHODS
All patients were examined clinically using both green light and white light to determine the presence of DR. Each patient underwent seven-field fundus photography, which was used as the defined standard against which the clinical examinations were compared and also to determine the prevalence of DR. Data on age at diagnosis, duration of diabetes mellitus, recent HbA1c levels, treatment for systemic hypertension and microalbuminuria were obtained from medical records.


RESULTS
When compared with the defined standard, fundal examination with green light was more sensitive, more specific and had higher predictive values than examination with white light in the detection of early DR. The overall prevalence of DR was 44%, which in all cases was classified as minimal to mild background DR. Patients with DR had significantly higher mean HbA1c levels than those without (p = 0.016). There was no significant association between the prevalence of DR and age at time of examination or diagnosis, duration of diabetes, patient gender, microalbuminuria levels or treatment for systemic hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
Fundal examination with green light is better than white light in detecting early DR in juvenile diabetics with duration of disease of 10 years or more. Furthermore the presence of DR is associated with poorer diabetic control. Due to coincident lifestyle changes and the probability of long duration of disease, accurate detection of early DR in juvenile diabetics with diabetes for over 10 years is important.
Cahill
M
M
The Research Foundation, The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. mcahill@indigo.ie
Wallace
D
D
Travers
S
S
Lipinski
H
H
Aldington
S
S
Costigan
C
C
Mooney
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin