Br J Ophthalmol 1998;82:407-409 ( April )
Diabetic retinopathy in Down's syndrome
Tim Fulcher,a
Margaret Griffin,b
Seamus Crowley,b
Richard Firth,b
Robert Acheson,a
Niall O'Mearab
a Department of
Ophthalmology, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, b Department of Endocrinology, Mater
Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Correspondence to: Mr T Fulcher, Institute of
Ophthalmology, 60 Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland.
Accepted for publication 28 October 1997
AIM
To determine the prevalence of diabetic
retinopathy in patients with Down's syndrome and diabetes mellitus.
METHODNine patients with Down's syndrome and
diabetes mellitus were assessed. Factors recorded included type and
duration of diabetes, level of diabetic control, blood pressure,
urinalysis, and results of ophthalmological examination.
RESULTSThe duration of diabetes ranged from 8 to
41 years (mean 17.6 years). All had satisfactory glycaemic control and
blood pressure measurements on the low side of normal (mean 106.6/70 mm
Hg). One patient had early background diabetic retinopathy. The
remainder had no evidence of diabetic retinopathy.
CONCLUSIONThe low prevalence of diabetic
retinopathy in these Down's syndrome patients, despite the long
duration, is an interesting finding. It suggests some inherent
protective factor against the development of diabetic retinopathy in
this patient subgroup.
Keywords:
Down's syndrome;
retinopathy;
diabetes;
hypertension
© 1998 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
