The Effect of Interventions to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes on the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy: The DPP/DPPOS Experience

Neil H. White, Qing Pan, William C. Knowler, Emily B. Schroeder, Dana Dabelea, Emily Y. Chew, Barbara Blodi, Ronald B. Goldberg, Xavier Pi-Sunyer, Christine Darwin, Mathias Schlöogl, David M. Nathan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To determine whether interventions that slow or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in those at risk reduce the subsequent prevalence of diabetic retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) randomized subjects at risk for developing type 2 diabetes because of overweight/obesity and dysglycemia to metformin (MET), intensive lifestyle intervention (ILS), or placebo (PLB) to assess the prevention of diabetes. During the DPP and DPP Outcome Study (DPPOS), we performed fundus photography over time on study participants, regardless of their diabetes status. Fundus photographs were graded using the Early Treatment Diabetic Reti-nopathy Study grading system, with diabetic retinopathy defined as typical le-sions of diabetic retinopathy (microaneurysms, exudates, or hemorrhage, or worse) in either eye. RESULTS Despite reduced progression to diabetes in the ILS and MET groups compared with PLB, there was no difference in the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy between treatment groups after 1, 5, 11, or 16 years of follow-up. No treatment group differences in retinopathy were found within prespecified subgroups (baseline age, sex, race/ethnicity, baseline BMI). In addition, there was no difference in the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy between those exposed to metfor-min and those not exposed to metformin, regardless of treatment group assignment. CONCLUSIONS Interventions that delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in overweight/ obese subjects with dysglycemia who are at risk for diabetes do not reduce the development of diabetic retinopathy for up to 20 years.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1640-1646
Number of pages7
JournalDiabetes care
Volume45
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2022

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