title: Diabetic retinopathy in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Cohort: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this pilot study was to generate an initial estimate of the prevalence and correlates of diabetic retinopathy in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of youth with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pilot study was conducted among 222 individuals with Type 1 diabetes (79% non-Hispanic white, 21% other) and 43 with Type 2 diabetes (28% non-Hispanic white, 72% other), all of > 5 years duration (mean duration 6.8 years) who participated in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. Diabetic retinopathy was assessed using non-mydriatic retinal photography of both eyes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 17% for Type 1 diabetes and 42% for Type 2 diabetes (odds ratio 1.50, 95% CI 0.58-3.88; P = 0.40 adjusted for age, duration, gender, race/ethnicity, parental education and HbA(1c). HbA(1c) was significantly higher among those with any diabetic retinopathy (adjusted mean 79 mmol/mol, 9.4%) vs. no diabetic retinopathy (adjusted mean 70 mmol/mol, 8.6%) (P = 0.015). LDL cholesterol was also significantly higher among those with any diabetic retinopathy (adjusted mean 107.2 mg/dl) compared with those without diabetic retinopathy (adjusted mean 97.9 mg/dl) (P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in contemporary young individuals was substantial, particularly among minority youth and those with Type 2 diabetes. Further long-term study of diabetic retinopathy in youth is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mayer-Davis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saadine
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dabelea
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pihoker
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult