A retrospective cohort study investigating changes in glycemic control among patients undergoing treatment for vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (DR) has found that those receiving retinal interventions did not experience significant improvements in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels compared to controls after 12 months of treatment initiation. The research focused on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Bobek “Bob” Modjtahedi, MD, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson of Medicine (KPSOM) Associate Professor of Clinical Science, and student Shannan Moore coauthored the article, “Glycemic Control in Patients After Initiation of Treatment for Vision-Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy,” published by the Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases.
The research, which matched patients based on various demographic and clinical factors, revealed that regardless of the number of retinal interventions received, there was no significant difference in HbA1c change between cases and controls. This suggests that the intensity of treatment for vision-threatening DR did not impact glycemic control outcomes, highlighting a missed opportunity for enhancing diabetes management in patients with vision-threatening DR.
