Prevalence and15-year incidence ofretinopathy andassociated characteristics inmiddle-aged andelderly diabetic men

SUMMARYWeexamined 178menforthepresence ofdiabetic retinopathy during 1978-80. They hadbeenpart ofagroup of205menfromtheJerusalem area, diagnosed asbeing diabetic orhaving anabnormal glucose tolerance test intheIsrael Ischaemic HeartDisease Project, a5-year epidemiological investigation ofIsraeli malegovernment employees. Seventy-four (42%)had diabetic retinopathy asdetermined bydirect andindirect ophthalmoscopy, 3-mirror contact lens examination, andfundus photography. Thosewithandwithout retinopathy werecompared for clinical, biochemical, behavioural, andbiographical variables measured subsequently in1963, 1965, and1968. Wefound nosignificant differences between the2groups with respect toantecedent Quetelet index, blood pressure, peripheral vascular disease, blood lipids, haematocrits, smoking habits, areaofbirth, andeducation. Statistically significant differences between menwithand without retinopathy werefound forseverity ofcarbohydrate metabolic intolerance atidentification, duration ofthemetabolic abnormality, age, casual glucose values, andserumuric acid levels. Low serumuric acid appears toprecede theincidence ofdiabetic retinopathy andtodecline further as