Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in adult Latinos: the Los Angeles Latino eye study.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate age- and gender-specific prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and to determine the association of type, duration, and treatment of diabetes with the prevalence of DR in adult Latinos.


METHODS
Population-based cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Six thousand three hundred fifty-seven Latinos aged 40 years and older from 6 census tracts in Los Angeles, California.


METHODS
The study cohort consisted of all self-identified Latinos of primarily Mexican ancestry aged 40 years and older residing in 6 census tracts in La Puente, Los Angeles County, California. All participants diagnosed with diabetes underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, including stereoscopic fundus photography (7 standard Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study fields). Photographs were graded in a masked manner using a modified Airlie House Grading System to assess presence and severity of DR.


METHODS
Prevalence of nonproliferative DR, proliferative DR, and macular edema.


RESULTS
Of 1263 participants with definite diabetes mellitus, gradable fundus photographs were available in 1217 participants (96%). Of those 1217 participants, 46.9% had DR. Severe nonproliferative DR and proliferative DR were present in 4.4% and 6.1% of diabetics, respectively. Macular edema was observed in 10.4% and clinically significant macular edema was observed in 6.2% of all diabetics. No age- or gender-related differences were present. After adjusting for duration of diabetes, the prevalence of DR was similar in persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that the prevalence of DR is high among Latinos of primarily Mexican ancestry. The increase in prevalence of DR with longer duration of diabetes emphasizes the public health importance of early diagnosis and management in Latinos. Further data on incidence and progression are required to understand better the natural history of DR in Latinos.
Varma
Rohit
R
Doheny Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. rvarma@usc.edu
Torres
Mina
M
Peña
Fernando
F
Klein
Ronald
R
Azen
Stanley P
SP
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000208:ethnology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors