Rates of diabetic retinopathy up fivefold or more in some groups over past decade
Key Takeaways
- The prevalence of vision-threatening retinopathy in people with diabetes has increased exponentially in the past decade.
- Hispanic males and females had the largest increase in prevalence followed by Black males and females.
The prevalence of vision-threatening retinopathy in people with diabetes has increased exponentially in the past decade, most acutely among younger adults and Hispanic and Black populations, an analysis of a large electronic database published in JAMA Ophthalmology has shown. The cross-sectional analysis of 359,126 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes found the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) increased 15% among the former and 7% among the latter between 2015 and 2022. In people aged 20-29 years with type 1 diabetes, the increases were more profound, rising almost fivefold, the researchers found. In those aged 30-39 years with type 1 disease, the prevalence almost doubled. In other age groups, the increase was more modest, ranging from 6% to 17%, and in those aged 70 years or older, the prevalence declined by 28%. Among those with type 2 diabetes, the prevalence of DR rose 2.5-fold in the group aged 20-29 years and by 60% in the group aged 30-39 years.
Rishi Singh, MD, and colleagues also observed “substantial race and ethnicity trends” within age groups, notably the younger cohorts. “By 30 years and older, the prevalence began to differentiate by racial and ethnicity groups, with Hispanic males and females having the largest prevalence followed by Black males and females,” the researchers wrote.
Singh called the increase in the Hispanic and Black groups “incredibly concerning” and said it illustrates the effect of healthcare disparities. The findings point to the importance of screening for retinopathy at the time of a diagnosis of diabetes, Singh said. “We hope we can get better screening, which would improve the ability to preserve vision in these patient populations, but thus far, it’s not happening,” he said.
Edited by Miriam Kaplan, PhD
Source: Richard M. Kirkner, Medscape Medical News, June 28, 2024; see source article