This blog tracks updates to the Blood Sugar 101 Web site.


Friday, October 30, 2009

NHANES: Retinopathy Incidence Rises Steeply At 5.5% A1c

Page Changed: Research Connecting Organ Damage with Blood Sugar Level

Added analysis of 2005-2006 NHANES data which was published in October 2009. The study looked at 1,066 individuals with or without diabetes aged 40 years or more. "A1C, FPG, and 45° color digital retinal images were assessed."

This study found a prevalence of retinopathy of 11% in those diagnosed with diabetes and 36% in those with diabetes diagnoses.

Most significantly, this study found that
The steepest increase in retinopathy prevalence occurs among individuals with A1C equal to or greater than 5.5% and FPG equal to or greater than 5.8 mmol/l [104 mg/dl]. A1C discriminates prevalence of retinopathy better than FPG.
Association of A1C and Fasting Plasma Glucose Levels With Diabetic Retinopathy Prevalence in the U.S. Population: Implications for diabetes diagnostic thresholds Yiling J. Cheng et al. Diabetes Care November 2009 vol. 32 no. 11 2027-2032. doi: 10.2337/dc09-0440

2 comments:

RLL said...

This was interesting. I have a continued minor problem with retinopathy. It was only when I started using two insulins that I got my A1Cs below 5.5. Before that I was probably below 6 since 2003. Spikes likely continued until I started metering three years ago. According to my Opth. retinopathy typically reflects the last five years of your blood sugars.

JEC said...

This is interesting. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with HbA1c of 7%. For the last 2 years I have kept it at 5.5% through diet and exercise alone. Now I am absolutely gutted to be told that I have retinopathy in one eye.