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Abstract
Aims To establish prevalence of abnormal retinal screening in children with T1DM in our hospital.
To explore relationships between HbA1c and retinal screening results.
Methods Retinopathy screening results in 2014–2015 were sought from regional retinal screening services for all paediatric patients older than 11.5 years with type 1 diabetes at our hospital (n = 207). HbA1c results from October 2014 to September 2015 and date of diabetes diagnosis was collected from the hospital electronic record system.
Analysis was undertaken using SPSS. Differences between groups were explored using univariate analysis, with average HbA1c as the dependent variable, incorporating retinal screening result and gender as fixed factors, and duration of diabetes as a covariate. P value <0.0025 was considered significant to allow for multiple comparisons.
Pie charts showing outcomes from retinal screening appointments in 2014/2015 in different groups of patients, sorted by most recent HbA1c
Box plot of average HbA1c over past eleven months for groups of patients sorted by the outcome of their retinal screening appointment in 2014/2015. Significant differences (p < 0.0025) are marked with an asterisk
Retinal screening results from 2014–2015. Normal: R0M0 both eyes. Abnormal: R1M0 (background retinopathy) in either or both eyes
Conclusions Mean HbA1c is lower in those with normal results, compared to those with either abnormal results or no results following non-attendance.
In each group there is a wide range of HbA1c, suggesting other risk factors are important for developing diabetic retinopathy.
HbA1c is highest in those patients who do not attend retinal screening, suggesting these patients are at risk of undiagnosed retinopathy.
Future work includes exploring barriers to accessing retinal screening to optimise attendance rates.