Diabetic retinopathy and the risk of coronary heart disease - The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the relation of diabetic retinopathy to incident coronary heart disease (CHD). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A population-based, prospective cohort study consisting of 1,524 middle-aged individuals with type 2 diabetes without prevalent CHD and stroke at baseline was conducted. Diabetic retinopathy signs were graded from retinal photographs according to the Early Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy Study severity scale. Incident CHD events (myocardial infarction, fatal CHD, or coronary revascularization) were identified and validated following standardized protocols. RESULTS: In our study, 214 (14.7%) participants had diabetic retinopathy. Over an average follow..