Læknablaðið : fylgirit - 01.06.1982, Side 36

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PREVALENCE OF RETINOPATHY AND PROTEINURIA IN TYPE 1 ( INSULIN-
DEPENDENT ) DIABETICS IN ICELAND. R. Danielsen1, F. JÓnassor.2,
T. Helgasonl. iDiabetic Clinic, Landspítalinn, University
Hospital and 2Landakot Hospital, Eye Ðepartnent; Reykjavik,
Iceland.
The prevalence of retinopathy and proteinuria was assess-
ed in 212 and 230 Type 1 Diabetics in Iceland respectively.
These represent 78% and 84% of all such patients identified
in the country. Retinopathy (assessed by fundus photography)
was present in 33.5%; background lesions only, 27.4%, more
severe retinopathy, 6.1%. After 5-9 years of diabetes (mean
6.9 yrs) the prevalence of retinopathy was 18.8%, including
2.1% proliferative and rose to 76.7% after 20 or more years
of diabetes (mean 26.7 yrs), including 16.2% in the prolifer-
ative stage. Background retinopathy was relatively uncommon
before six years of diabetes and proliferative retinopathy
was, with one exception, never seen until after twelve years.
Blindness was found in 2.4% and in each case the duration of
diabetes was more than 10 years (mean * sd = 21.1 ± 10.0 yrs).
Diabetics, diagnosed at age 0-19 years had a lower prevalence
of retinopathy during their first 20 years of diabetes than
those diagnosed later in life ( p<0.05 ). Proteinuria (ass-
essed by Albustix) was present in 14%; intermittent in 10% and
continuous in 4%. The severity of proteinuria increased with
duration of diabetes. Thus the mean duration of diabetes (±sd)
in the intermittent and continuous proteinuria groups was 11.7
± 6.6 and 19.6 ± 6.7 years, respectively. After 10 or more
years of diabetes (mean 19.3 yrs) the prevalence of intermitt-
ent and continuous proteinuria was 13.0% and 8.3% respectively.
A systematic study of this kind has not been previously
conducted in Iceland. The observed prevalence of retinopathy
and proteinuria appears to be less than in various reports.
The unselectivity of the patient material in the present
study might at least partly explain this difference but the
possible influence of certain HLA specificities on the progress
of retinopathy should also be considered.