title: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and diabetes mellitus with severe retinal complications in a Sardinian population, Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is one of the most common human genetic abnormalities, with a high prevalence in Sardinia, Italy. Evidence indicates that G6PD-deficient patients are protected against vascular disease. Little is known about the relationship between G6PD deficiency and diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study was to compare G6PD deficiency prevalence in Sardinian diabetic men with severe retinal vascular complications and in age-matched non-diabetic controls and ascertain whether G6PD deficiency may offer protection against this vascular disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Erythrocyte G6PD activity was determined using a quantitative assay in 390 diabetic men with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and 390 male non-diabetic controls, both aged ≥50 years. Conditional logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between G6PD deficiency and diabetes with severe retinal complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  G6PD deficiency was found in 21 (5.4 %) diabetic patients and 33 (8.5 %) controls (P=0.09). In a univariate conditional logistic regression model, G6PD deficiency showed a trend for protection against diabetes with PDR, but the odds ratio (OR) fell short of statistical significance (OR=0.6, 95% confidence interval=0.35-1.08, P=0.09). In multivariate conditional logistic regression models, including as covariates G6PD deficiency, plasma glucose, and systemic hypertension or systolic or diastolic blood pressure, G6PD deficiency showed no statistically significant protection against diabetes with PDR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of G6PD deficiency in diabetic men with PDR was lower than in age-matched non-diabetic controls. G6PD deficiency showed a trend for protection against diabetes with PDR, but results were not statistically significant.
authors: 1. Department of Surgical, Microsurgical, & Medical Sciences, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Pinna
authors: Emma Luigia
authors: EL
authors: Contini
authors: Ciriaco
authors: C
authors: Carru
authors: Giuliana
authors: G
authors: Solinas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005955:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014792:Visual Acuity
keywords: Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency; conditional logistic regression analysis; diabetes mellitus; proliferative diabetic retinopathy