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Prevalence and determinants of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy in a multiethnic Asian cohort: the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Huang, OS; Tay, WT; Ong, PG; Sabanayagam, C; Cheng, C-Y; Tan, GS; Cheung, GCM; Lamoureux, EL; Wong, TY
Published in: Br J Ophthalmol
December 2015

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy (DR), in particular vision-threatening DR (VTDR) in a multiethnic Asian cohort. DESIGN: A population-based survey of 3353 Chinese, 3280 Malays and 3400 Indians (73.6% response) aged 40-80 years residing in Singapore. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was defined as random glucose ≥11.1 mmol/L, use of diabetic medication or a previous physician diagnosis. DR severity was graded from retinal photographs following the modified Airlie House classification. VTDR was defined as the presence of severe non-proliferative DR (NPDR), proliferative DR (PDR) or clinically significant macular oedema (CSMO), using the Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group definition. Participants were deemed 'undiagnosed' if they reported no prior physician diagnosis in structured interviews, in those with the condition. RESULTS: Of 10 033 participants, 2376 had DM (23.7%), of which 805 (33.9%) had DR. Among 2376 with DM, 11.1% (n=263) were undiagnosed. Among 805 with DR, 671 (83.3%) were undiagnosed. Among 212 with VTDR, 59 (27.3%) were undiagnosed. In multivariate models, factors associated with undiagnosed VTDR were higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (OR=1.53, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.35, p=0.05) and absence of visual impairment or blindness in any eye in terms of best-corrected vision OR=3.00, 95% CI 1.47 to 6.11, p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: In this community, a quarter with VTDR is undiagnosed, and 8 in 10 with any DR are undiagnosed, compared with only 1 in 10 with DM undiagnosed. These findings suggest that screening for diabetes is successful, while screening for DR is currently inadequate in our population. Public health strategies to aid early diagnosis of DR in Singapore are urgently warranted to reduce blindness due to diabetes.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Br J Ophthalmol

DOI

EISSN

1468-2079

Publication Date

December 2015

Volume

99

Issue

12

Start / End Page

1614 / 1621

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Vision Disorders
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Singapore
  • Risk Factors
  • Prevalence
  • Photography
  • Ophthalmology & Optometry
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Huang, O. S., Tay, W. T., Ong, P. G., Sabanayagam, C., Cheng, C.-Y., Tan, G. S., … Wong, T. Y. (2015). Prevalence and determinants of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy in a multiethnic Asian cohort: the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study. Br J Ophthalmol, 99(12), 1614–1621. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2014-306492
Huang, Olivia S., Wan Ting Tay, Peng Guan Ong, Charumathi Sabanayagam, Ching-Yu Cheng, Gavin S. Tan, Gemmy C. M. Cheung, Ecosse L. Lamoureux, and Tien Y. Wong. “Prevalence and determinants of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy in a multiethnic Asian cohort: the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study.Br J Ophthalmol 99, no. 12 (December 2015): 1614–21. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2014-306492.
Huang, Olivia S., et al. “Prevalence and determinants of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy in a multiethnic Asian cohort: the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study.Br J Ophthalmol, vol. 99, no. 12, Dec. 2015, pp. 1614–21. Pubmed, doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2014-306492.
Huang OS, Tay WT, Ong PG, Sabanayagam C, Cheng C-Y, Tan GS, Cheung GCM, Lamoureux EL, Wong TY. Prevalence and determinants of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy in a multiethnic Asian cohort: the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study. Br J Ophthalmol. 2015 Dec;99(12):1614–1621.

Published In

Br J Ophthalmol

DOI

EISSN

1468-2079

Publication Date

December 2015

Volume

99

Issue

12

Start / End Page

1614 / 1621

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Vision Disorders
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Singapore
  • Risk Factors
  • Prevalence
  • Photography
  • Ophthalmology & Optometry
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans