Prepubertal subjects with diabetes did not have less retinopathy or elevated albumin excretion compared with pubertal subjects of the same age. Prepubertal diabetes duration is significantly related to the presence of retinopathy in adolescents.

In this study reference ranges were established for autonomic and peripheral nerve tests in 122 non-diabetic adolescents. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of age and gender on neurological function. Increasing age was associated with: less heart rate variability during deep breathing (p = 0.03), higher thermal threshold for cold at the wrist (p = 0.009), and higher vibration threshold at the toe (p = 0.001) and medial malleolus (p = 0.01). Male gender was associated with higher Valsalva ratio (p = 0.0004), higher thermal threshold for hot at the foot (p = 0.002), and higher vibration threshold at the malleolus (p = 0.03). The REFVAL programme was used to determine parametric or non-parametric reference limits: the 5% limits for autonomic and 95% limits for peripheral tests. One hundred and eighty-one adolescents with diabetes were studied under identical conditions and similar effects of age and gender were found. Twenty-eight percent of the group with diabetes had at least one abnormal autonomic test result out of four (expected 18.5%); 24% had at least one abnormal peripheral test result out of six (expected 26.5%). Glycaemic control was associated with autonomic (p = 0.04) but not peripheral abnormalities. Using multiple regression analysis and adjusting for age and gender, there was no effect of diabetes duration or glycaemic control on neurological function.

Selective metallization of polymer substrates with tellurium is shown to be effected by electron‐beam irradiation. Different behavior is reported, depending on the type of substrate, radiation dose, and substrate temperature. For example, the irradiation of high density polyethylene (HDPE) at <100 C/m2 and subsequent

Objectives To establish the prevalence of, and risk factors associated with, diabetic retinopathy in an Australian adolescent diabetes clinic population. Design A prospective longitudinal study; baseline findings. Patients Two hundred and fifty‐five patients with Type 1 (insulin‐dependent) diabetes mellitus assessed by our service were studied. Entry criteria were: age 11.0‐19.9 years; diabetes duration of at least two years; and gradable fundus photographs of at least one eye. Main outcome measures The presence and severity of retinopathy, as assessed by the grading of stereoscopic fundus photographs. Possible risk factors assessed were age, sex, diabetes duration, pubertal stage, blood pressure, glycaemic control and total cholesterol level. Results The prevalence of retinopathy was 42%; all of those affected had mild background retinopathy. Highly significant associations were found with glycaemic control and both total and prepubertal duration of diabetes. No associations were found with age, sex, pubertal stage, blood pressure or total cholesterol level. Conclusions The high prevalence of early diabetic retinopathy in this group of Australian adolescents is comparable to recent reports from other centres. The significant associations with glycaemic control and duration of diabetes provide further strong evidence for the benefit of optimal glycaemic control during adolescence. Our finding that the prepubertal years of diabetes contribute to the development of retinopathy suggests that glycaemic control before puberty should also be optimised. The planned follow‐up of this cohort will establish the risk of progression to vision‐threatening retinopathy and allow risk factors to be further evaluated.