Risk factors associated with the development of retinopathy 10 yr after the diagnosis of juvenile-onset type 1 diabetes in Taiwan: a cohort study from the CGJDES

Background: The aim of this study was to examine risk factors associated with the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) 10 yr after the diagnosis of juvenile-onset type 1 diabetes in Taiwan. Methods: This retrospective cohort study of 153 individuals with type 1 diabetes for >10 yr duration (mean duration: 13.1 yr) included participants in the Chang Gung Juvenile Diabetes Eye Study. Risk factors assessed for association with DR included age, gender, age at onset and duration of diabetes, self-reported smoking, blood pressure, lipid profile, urinalysis, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index, spherical equivalent, and axial length of the eyeball. Results: There were 128 patients without DR and 25 patients with DR. The mean age at onset was 7.0 ± 4.0 yr (mean ± standard deviation). Cox proportional-hazards analysis showed that older-onset age (p = 0.001), higher HbA1c (p = 0.013), and higher triglyceride concentration (p = 0.015) were the strongest correlates of DR after adjustment for diabetes duration. Conclusions: Development of retinopathy 10 yr after diagnosis in people with juvenile-onset type 1 diabetes was associated with older onset age, higher HbA1c, and higher triglyceride concentration.