DEPENDENCE OF RETINOPATHY (AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS) ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND ON WEIGHT OVER 5 10 YEARS FROM DIAGNOSIS OF TYPE-II DIABETES/

Glycosylated haemoglobins and weights were recorded for 200 consecutiv e diabetic clinic attenders seen yearly for 5 years, 76 of whom were a lso seen up to 10 years from diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, representin g 1380 patient years, Weight fluctuation (>3 kg) was associated with i ncreased final prevalence of hypertension, macroalbuminaemia and a rai sed creatinine (P< 0.002) but this relationship was abolished by corre ction for higher initial weight. Average glycaemia over 5/10 years [it self related to initial weight in women on tablets (N=53) but not othe rs, and to waist but not waist/hip ratio], correlated with prevalence and severity of retinopathy (N=200; r=0.38, P< 0.0006) seen also in th e subgroup of patients on tablets (N=145, P< 0.006). At HbA1 levels >1 0.5% an increased prevelance of retinopathy was seen in those on insul in (N=37, P<0.001) and an increased prevalence of peripheral vascular disease was seen in men but not women (x(2)=2.87, P<0.01) as well as i n the prevalence of neuropathy. These findings suggest that good glyca emic control is of value in type 2 diabetes and less easily achieved i n obesity.