Diabetic retinopathy in Nauruans.

Abstract

An epidemiologic survey of the whole adult Micronesian population of Nauru in the Central Pacific conducted in 1982 has confirmed that Nauruans, along with Pima Indians, suffer the highest rate of abnormal glucose tolerance yet recorded. To establish the morbid effects of hyperglycemia in this population, all responders to the diabetes survey were concurrently examined for diabetic retinopathy. In diabetic subjects, the crude prevalence of retinopathy was 24%. Specific rates were determined at various levels of the following characteristics: age, two-hour post-load plasma glucose, body mass index, duration of diabetes, and systolic blood pressure. Prevalence was found to rise with increasing..