Retinopathy in persons without diabetes: the Handan Eye Study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence and associations of retinopathy in a population-based nondiabetic sample of rural Chinese.


METHODS
Population-based cross-sectional study.


METHODS
We included 6830 Han Chinese aged > or =30 years from 13 villages of Yongnian County, Handan City, Hebei Province, China.


METHODS
All participants underwent a standardized interview and extensive examinations including retinal photography, measurement of blood pressure (BP) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Diabetes mellitus was defined as either FPG > or = 7.0 mmol/l, use of diabetic medication or a physician diagnosis of diabetes. Photographic grading of retinopathy followed the modified Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study classification system. Logistic regression models were used to assess associations of retinopathy.


METHODS
Any retinopathy.


RESULTS
The prevalence of retinopathy among participants without diabetes was 13.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.6-14.6%). The age and gender standardized prevalence of retinopathy in the Chinese adult population (aged 30+ years) without diabetes was estimated to be 12.1% (95% CI 11.1-12.9%). Independent risk factors associated with retinopathy were age (odds ratio [OR], 1.02 ; 95% CI 1.01-1.03 per year increase), male gender (male vs. female, OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.08-1.49), higher FPG (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.11-1.53 per mmol/l increase), higher systolic BP (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.05-1.27 per 10 mmHg increase) and higher diastolic BP (OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.09-1.22 per 10 mmHg increase).


CONCLUSIONS
Retinopathy was common among rural Chinese adults without diabetes. Its association with FPG and BP suggests that early microvascular damage is occurring at "high normal" levels of blood glucose and BP.
Peng
Xiao Yan
XY
Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Lab, Beijing, China.
Wang
Feng Hua
FH
Liang
Yuan Bo
YB
Wang
Jie Jin
JJ
Sun
Lan Ping
LP
Peng
Yi
Y
Friedman
David S
DS
Liew
Gerald
G
Wang
Ning Li
NL
Wong
Tien Yin
TY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography; D015995:Prevalence; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D001786:Blood Glucose