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Comparative Study
. 2007 Feb;38(2):398-401.
doi: 10.1161/01.STR.0000254547.91276.50. Epub 2006 Dec 28.

Is diabetic retinopathy an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke?

Ning Cheung  1 , Sophie Rogers, David J Couper, Ronald Klein, A Richey Sharrett, Tien Y Wong
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Is diabetic retinopathy an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke?

Ning Cheung et al. Stroke. 2007 Feb.

Abstract

Background and purpose: The relationship between diabetic retinopathy and ischemic stroke is uncertain and examined in this study.

Methods: A population-based, prospective cohort study of 1617 middle-aged persons with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy signs were ascertained from retinal photographs, and incident ischemic stroke events were prospectively identified and validated.

Results: Over an average follow-up of 7.8 years, there were 75 ischemic stroke events. After adjustment for age, gender, race, center, 6-year mean arterial blood pressure, anti-hypertensive treatment use, fasting glucose, insulin treatment, duration of diabetes, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and cigarette smoking status, diabetic retinopathy was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke (hazard rate ratio, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.13 to 4.86).

Conclusions: Diabetic retinopathy predicts incident ischemic stroke in people with diabetes, independent of other risk factors.

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