Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

To explore the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a representative population of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) patients in Catalonia (Spain).

This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. A total of 28,344 patients diagnosed with DM2 who had recorded ophthalmologic and renal functional examinations were evaluated. Data were obtained from a primary healthcare electronic database of medical records. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration ratio (eGFR) of <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and/or urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥30 mg/g. DR was categorized as non-vision threatening diabetic retinopathy and vision threatening diabetic retinopathy.

CKD was associated with a higher rate of DR [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 (1.4-1.7). When we analyzed the association between different levels of UACR and DR prevalence observed that DR prevalence rose with the increase of UACR levels, and this association was significant from UACR values ≥10 mg/g, and increased considerably with UACR values ≥300 mg/g (Odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0 (1.6-2.5). This association was lower in patients with eGFR levels 44 to 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 (1.1-1.6).

These results show that CKD, high UACR and/or low eGFR, appear to be associated with DR in this DM2 population.