Nephropathy, retinopathy and stroke risk

This trial investigated whether nephropathy and retinopathy influence the risk for stroke in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1DM).

A common complication of diabetes and high blood glucose levels is damage to blood vessels. Many organs, such as the kidneys or the retina may be damaged due to leaky blood vessels damaged by diabetes. Retina damage due to diabetes is referred to as diabetic retinopathy, while kidney damage is referred to as diabetic nephropathy.

Blood vessel damage in diabetic patients is also known to increase the risk of blood clots and strokes. Type 1 diabetic patients are known to be at a 5-time higher risk for strokes compared to non-diabetics. In order to asses which patients are at the highest risk of developing strokes and might benefit from protective treatment, this study investigated whether the risk of stroke could be predicted by diabetic retinopathy or nephropathy.

4083 patients with T1DM were included in this study. Over a period of 12 years, 4% of patients suffered a stroke. Diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy, as well as old age, were found to be significantly associated with the risk of stroke. Among patients with retinopathy alone, the risk for developing a stroke was 3 times higher compared to patients without retinopathy. Patients with mild nephropathy were 3.2 times more likely to develop a stroke, while patients with end-stage kidney disease (sever kidney damage) were 7.5 times more likely to develop a stroke compared to patients without nephropathy. The risk for developing a stroke was found to be 6 times higher for patients with both retinopathy and nephropathy.

This trial concluded that diabetic nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy are individually associated with a higher risk of strokes in T1DM patients. Preventive therapy and close monitoring is recommended for such patients.

Consult with your physician on how to reduce the risk of strokes associated with diabetes.