Thailand diabetes registry project: prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and associated factors in type 1 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and factors associated with Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Thailand.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, multicenter hospital-based study was carried out from April to December 2003. Diabetic patients in diabetic clinics of 11 tertiary centers were registered. Retinopathy was evaluated by the ophthalmologists.


RESULTS
Seven thousand one hundred and ni neteen diabetic patients received retinal examination. The number of patients with type 1 diabetes was 347. The prevalence of DR in type 1 diabetes was 21.6% (75). This consisted of Non-Proliferative DR (NPDR) 10.9% (38) and Proliferative DR (PDR) 10.7%. Patients with DR were significantly older, predominantly female, longer duration ofdiabetes, had higher BMI, systolic Blood Pressure (BP), diastolic BP serum creatinine, and TriGlycerides (TG) levels than those without DR. Both groups ofpatients were not different in term ofplasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Although the patients with DR had a higher percentage of overt proteinuria than those without DR, there was no difference in percentage of patients with positive microalbuminuria in both groups. This may be explained by limitation of data (only 16% had results of microalbuminuria and 19% had results of proteinuria). After adjusted for duration of diabetes, serum creatinine and smoking status, factors (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) associated with DR were duration of diabetes 5-9.9 years (4.0 [1.49-10.91]), 10-14.9 years (6.86 [2.45-19.20]), 15-19.9 years (21.13 [7.22-61.78]), > or =20 years (22.15 [7.32-66.99]) when compared with duration of diabetes less than 5 years, serum creatinine >2 mg/dl (6.0 [2.09-17.22]) when compared with creatinine less than 2 mg/dl. From the presented model, age, gender, systolic BP >140 mmHg, diastolic BP >90 mmHg, serum TG and smoking status were not factors associated with DR.


CONCLUSIONS
Diabetic retinopathy affects about one fifth of type 1 diabetic patients in our study. The authors found the factors associated with DR in type 1 DM were duration of diabetes and serum creatinine. Regular screening for DR and more aggressive management of metabolic factors should be done to reduce the prevalence ofDR.
Chetthakul
Thanya
T
Department of Medicine, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Thailand. thanyachet@yahoo.com
Likitmaskul
Supawadee
S
Plengvidhya
Nattachet
N
Suwanwalaikorn
Sompongse
S
Kosachunhanun
Natapong
N
Deerochanawong
Chaicharn
C
Krittiyawong
Sirinate
S
Leelawatana
Rattana
R
Benjasuratwong
Yupin
Y
Bunnag
Pongamorn
P
Prathipanawatr
Thongchai
T
Ngarmukos
Chardpraorn
C
Mongkolsomlit
Sirima
S
Rawdaree
Petch
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
D003404:Creatinine