496-P: Diabetic Retinopathy in Youth with Type 2 Diabetes—Data from Three Academic Health Centers

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and a major cause of vision loss worldwide. The TODAY study reported a DR prevalence of 51% among patients with youth onset T2D (average T2D duration 13.3 years, mean age of 26.4 years). Prevalence rates of DR in youth-onset T2D with shorter duration and younger age is unclear. In a multicenter analysis, eye exams or retinal images from patients with youth-onset T2D at Cincinnati Children’s, Johns Hopkins, and University of Wisconsin were assessed for presence of DR using t-tests and fisher’s exact test. The study included 228 youth (mean age 16.5±3.5years, mean T2D duration 3.0±2.6 years). Seven participants (3%) were positive for DR. Compared to youth negative for DR (n=221), those with DR (n=7) had a longer duration of diabetes (5.3±3.1 v. 2.9±2.6years, p=0.015) and higher hemoglobin A1c at the time of the diabetic eye exam (10.0±2.1 v. 7.5±2.6%, p=0.012). There were no differences in age, race/ethnicity, sex, or types of medication prescribed between those with and without DR. Of those with DED, when compared to all other ethnicities, NH Black youth had a higher rate of positive diabetic eye exams (p=0.04). Our study found a lower prevalence of DR in youth with T2D at younger age and shorter duration of diabetes. Further work is needed to determine the inflection point when the incidence of DR increases. Disclosure R.Channa: None. R.M.Wolf: Research Support; Dexcom, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Inc. A.S.Shah: None. V.S.Shah: None. M.Bahrainian: None. E.A.Brown: None. T.Liu: None. B.Magella: None. H.Lehmann: None. M.D.Abràmoff: Board Member; Digital Diagnostics, Consultant; AbbVie Inc., NovaGo Therapeutics AG, Other Relationship; Digital Diagnostics, Stock/Shareholder; Digital Diagnostics. Funding National Eye Institute (R01EY033233, 5K23EY030911-03)