title: [Declining prevalence of proliferative retinopathy in patients with type 1 diabetes].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is likely that improved treatment of diabetes during the last decades has led to a declining prevalence of retinopathy. We have assessed whether this is the case for patients with type I diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for all patients who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the periods 1960-1975 (early group) and 1985-1990 (late group) at the diabetes clinic in St. Olavs Hospital (Trondheim). Information on the prevalence of retinopathy ten and 15 years after diabetes onset was obtained from hospital records and private ophthalmologists in Trondheim.
  
  
  RESULTS
  125 patients were identified in the early group and 147 patients in the late group. The prevalence of proliferative retinopathy was higher in the early group than in the late group, both after ten years (4% vs. 0%, p = 0.04) and 15 years (13% vs. 5%, p = 0.04) of diabetes. The prevalence of background retinopathy was not significantly different between the two groups after ten (12% vs. 14%, p = 0.70) or 15 years (29% vs. 24%, p = 0.36) of diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the prevalence of proliferative retinopathy is decreasing in patients with type 1 diabetes in Norway. Explanations may be improved follow-up and treatment of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Avdeling for endokrinologi, St. Olavs hospital ogInstitutt for samfunnsmedisin, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn Olav
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Asvold
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Espeland
authors.forename: Marit Rokne
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bjørgaas
authors.forename: Valdemar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies