Incidence Density and Risk Factors of Diabetic Retinopathy Within Type 2 Diabetes: A Five-Year Cohort Study in China (Report 1)

A prospective study was carried out from August 2010 to August 2014 in the community of Fengyutan (China). Six hundred and twenty two T2D subjects were collected. The incidence density of diabetic retinopathy (DR) was 1.81% person-year (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.21–2.43% person-year). After a Cox regression model analysis and adjusted confounding factors, independent predictors related to the incidence of DR including male gender (adjusted hazard ratios, aHR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21–1.62), with hypertension (aHR: 1.49, 95%: 1.12–1.73), duration of diabetes > 10 years (aHR: 2.28, 95%: 2.05–2.42), uncontrolled diabetes (aHR: 1.76, 95%: 1.41–2.01), total cholesterol ≥ 200 mg/dL (aHR: 1.54, 95%: 1.34–1.72) and HbA1c ≥ 7% (mmol/mol) (aHR: 2.12, 95%: 1.87–2.32). Duration of T2D revealed the significantly dose-response relationship to the onset of DR. The incidence density of DR in the Chinese community was relatively low in comparison with other studies. More attention should be paid to the T2D patients, especially of male gender, with hypertension, longer duration of diabetes, uncontrolled diabetes, total cholesterol ≥ 200mg/dL and HbA1c ≥ 7% (mmol/mol)