Glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: Implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes

OBJECTIVE :To re-evaluate the relationship between glycemia and diabetic retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a data-pooling analysis of nine studies from five countries with 44,623 participants aged 20-79 years with gradable retinal photographs. The relationship between diabetes-s...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Colagiuri, S., Lee, Crystal, Wong, T., Balkau, B., Shaw, J., Borch-Johnsen, K.
Format: Journal Article
Published: American Diabetes Association 2011
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/5863
_version_ 1848744914845696000
author Colagiuri, S.
Lee, Crystal
Wong, T.
Balkau, B.
Shaw, J.
Borch-Johnsen, K.
author_facet Colagiuri, S.
Lee, Crystal
Wong, T.
Balkau, B.
Shaw, J.
Borch-Johnsen, K.
author_sort Colagiuri, S.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description OBJECTIVE :To re-evaluate the relationship between glycemia and diabetic retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a data-pooling analysis of nine studies from five countries with 44,623 participants aged 20-79 years with gradable retinal photographs. The relationship between diabetes-specific retinopathy (defined as moderate or more severe retinopathy) and three glycemic measures (fasting plasma glucose [FPG; n = 41,411], 2-h post oral glucose load plasma glucose [2-h PG; n=21,334], and A1C [n=28,010]) was examined. RESULTS: When diabetes-specific retinopathy was plotted against continuous glycemic measures, a curvilinear relationship was observed for FPG and A1C. Diabetes-specific retinopathy prevalence was low for FPG <6.0 mmol/l and A1C <6.0% but increased above these levels. Based on vigintile (20 groups with equal numbers) distributions, glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy were observed over the range of 6.4-6.8 mmol/l for FPG, 9.8 -10.6 mmol/l for 2-h PG, and 6.3-6.7% for A1C. Thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy from receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were 6.6 mmol/l for FPG, 13.0 mmol/l for 2-h PG, and 6.4% for A1C. CONCLUSIONS: This study broadens the evidence based on diabetes diagnostic criteria. A narrow threshold range for diabetes-specific retinopathy was identified for FPG and A1C but not for 2-h PG. The combined analyses suggest that the current diabetes diagnostic level for FPG could be lowered to 6.5 mmol/l and that an A1C of 6.5% is a suitable alternative diagnostic criterion.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T06:09:02Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-5863
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T06:09:02Z
publishDate 2011
publisher American Diabetes Association
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-58632017-09-13T14:42:52Z Glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: Implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes Colagiuri, S. Lee, Crystal Wong, T. Balkau, B. Shaw, J. Borch-Johnsen, K. OBJECTIVE :To re-evaluate the relationship between glycemia and diabetic retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a data-pooling analysis of nine studies from five countries with 44,623 participants aged 20-79 years with gradable retinal photographs. The relationship between diabetes-specific retinopathy (defined as moderate or more severe retinopathy) and three glycemic measures (fasting plasma glucose [FPG; n = 41,411], 2-h post oral glucose load plasma glucose [2-h PG; n=21,334], and A1C [n=28,010]) was examined. RESULTS: When diabetes-specific retinopathy was plotted against continuous glycemic measures, a curvilinear relationship was observed for FPG and A1C. Diabetes-specific retinopathy prevalence was low for FPG <6.0 mmol/l and A1C <6.0% but increased above these levels. Based on vigintile (20 groups with equal numbers) distributions, glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy were observed over the range of 6.4-6.8 mmol/l for FPG, 9.8 -10.6 mmol/l for 2-h PG, and 6.3-6.7% for A1C. Thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy from receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were 6.6 mmol/l for FPG, 13.0 mmol/l for 2-h PG, and 6.4% for A1C. CONCLUSIONS: This study broadens the evidence based on diabetes diagnostic criteria. A narrow threshold range for diabetes-specific retinopathy was identified for FPG and A1C but not for 2-h PG. The combined analyses suggest that the current diabetes diagnostic level for FPG could be lowered to 6.5 mmol/l and that an A1C of 6.5% is a suitable alternative diagnostic criterion. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/5863 10.2337/dc10-1206 American Diabetes Association unknown
spellingShingle Colagiuri, S.
Lee, Crystal
Wong, T.
Balkau, B.
Shaw, J.
Borch-Johnsen, K.
Glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: Implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes
title Glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: Implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes
title_full Glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: Implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes
title_fullStr Glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: Implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes
title_full_unstemmed Glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: Implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes
title_short Glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: Implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes
title_sort glycemic thresholds for diabetes-specific retinopathy: implications for diagnostic criteria for diabetes
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/5863