Severe forms of retinopathy predict the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in type 1 diabetes subjects.
BACKGROUND
In patients with type 2 diabetes, the presence of retinopathy is associated with increased cardiovascular disease, regardless of known risk factors for vascular disease.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and its grades with the presence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in patients with type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 150 type 1 diabetes individuals asymptomatic for coronary artery disease. They underwent clinical evaluation for microvascular complications and for the presence of coronary artery calcification (CAC).


RESULTS
Severe forms of DR (severe non-proliferative DR and proliferative DR) were associated with CAC (OR: 3.98 95% CI 1.13-13.9, p = 0.03), regardless of known risk factors for cardiovascular disease (age, A1C, hypertension, dyslipidemia and male gender).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with severe forms of DR are at risk for the presence of coronary artery disease regardless of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
Divisão de Endocrinologia, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
Fernando K
FK
Almeida
Jorge F
JF
Esteves
Jorge L
JL
Gross
Karina
K
Biavatti
Ticiana C
TC
Rodrigues
D000328:Adult; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology