Birth weight is not related to risk of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.
OBJECTIVE
Low birth weight has been suggested as a risk factor for diabetes. Whether it is related to diabetic retinopathy is unclear and is examined in this study.


METHODS
We examined 609 adults with type 2 diabetes from the population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Retinal photographs were graded for diabetic retinopathy. Birth weight was assessed by self-report.


RESULTS
Retinopathy was present in 116 (19%) participants (113 non-proliferative and 3 proliferative). After adjusting for age, sex, race, education level, body mass index, fasting glucose, duration of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, family history of diabetes, serum total cholesterol, and blood pressure, there was no evidence of either a linear or non-linear relationship between birthweight and diabetic retinopathy.


CONCLUSIONS
Birth weight was not associated with diabetic retinopathy.
Liew
G
G
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Millennium Institute, Australia. gerald.liew@yahoo.com.au
Wang
J J
JJ
Klein
R
R
Duncan
B B
BB
Yeh
H C
HC
Brancati
F L
FL
Mitchell
P
P
Wong
T Y
TY
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001824:Body Constitution; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin