Early-onset Type 2 Diabetes: A High-risk Factor For Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR) In Patients With Microalbuminuria

AimsWe aim to explore the relationship between early-onset diabetes and proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients(T2DM)with microalbuminuria.MethodsA total of 461 T2 DM patients with microalbuminuria were enrolled.Subjects were defined as early-onset or late-onset based on the age at which they were diagnosed with diabetes(<40 and ?40 years,respectively).Medical history,anthropometry and laboratory indicators were documented.PDR was defined as the presence of any of the following changes on fundus photography: neovascularization,vitreous hemorrhage or preretinal hemorrhage.ResultsThe prevalence of PDR was 6-fold higher in patients with early-onset than late-onset T2 DM [(6.1% vs 1.0%),p=0.004].Univariate correlationanalysis showed that early-onset diabetes,use of oral hypoglycemic drugs,and insulin therapy were risk factors for PDR.In multivariate logistic analysis,patients with early-onset diabetes exhibited a 7.00-fold [(95%confidence interval 1.40-38.26),p = 0.019] higher risk of PDR than subjects with late-onset diabetes after adjusting for sex;T2DM duration;systolic blood pressure;total triglyceride;glycated hemoglobin;insulin therapy;and the use of oral hypoglycemic drugs,antihypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering drugs.ConclusionsIn T2 DM patients with microalbuminuria,early-onset diabetes is an independent risk factor for the development of PDR.