Prevalence of diabetes and diabetic macular edema in patients undergoing senile cataract surgery in Italy: The DIabetes and CATaract study

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of diabetes and diabetic macular edema in patients undergoing senile cataract surgery in Italy. Methods: It is a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study. Thirteen ophthalmic units equally distributed across the Italian territory have been involved in the study. For a period of 3 months, all subjects undergoing phacoemulsification received an Optical Coherence Tompgraphy (OCT) scan and were screened for the anamnestic presence of diabetes. In addition, five selected units collected blood samples from all their patients to measure glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and detect the presence of occult diabetes (HbA1c > 6.5%). In diabetic patients, levels of retinopathy were measured and diabetic macular edema was considered significant (clinically significant macular edema) when foveal thickness was above 30% of normal levels. Results: A total number of 3657 subjects have been screened. Among them, 20.4% were diabetics. Prevalence of diabetes was significantly higher in males (24.7%) than in females (17%). Levels of HbA1c were tested in a representative sample of 1216 consecutive subjects, and occult diabetes was diagnosed in 4.8% of cases. No significant differences were observed between age groups or different geographic areas. Among diabetic patients, diabetic macular edema of any kind was present in 27.5% (clinically significant macular edema (6.6%)). No significant differences were seen in the prevalence of diabetic macular edema between males and females or between age groups. Among the 745 diabetic patients, no signs of retinopathy were seen in 537 subjects (76.3%), while 101 patients (14.3%) had nonproliferative retinopathy, 13 (1.7%) had nontreated

Combined Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant and Cataract Surgery in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy: Effect on Retinal Morphology and Function

“…Patients with DME are more likely to develop cataract because of the inherent metabolic condition [2]; therefore, a large percentage of patients with diabetes undergoes cataract surgery every year. According to a recent study, 20.4% of patients undergoing cataract surgery in Italy are diabetic [3]. Cataract surgery can be associated with vision-threatening complications in patients with diabetes, such as DME, postoperative macular edema, progression of DR, and posterior capsular opacification [4].…”

Retrospective Analysis of the Impacts of Treatment Regimens on the Progression and Prognosis of Diabetic Retinopathy and Visual Acuity in Trakya University School of Medicine

“…The number of patients with NPDR was greater than the ones with PDR. According to other studies, approximately 27.5% of the individuals with DR have diabetic macular edema (19,20). It has been seen that 45.6% of patients had diabetic macular edema at the first admission.…”

Correlation of Central Macular Thickness and the Best-Corrected Visual Acuity in Three Months After Cataract Surgery by Phacoemulsification and With Intraocular Lens Implantation

“…Release of inflammatory mediators is postulated to be the reason for the development of CME after cataract surgery [ 15 ]. Such mediators are released less in non-diabetic compared to diabetic patients [ 16 ], in eyes with operative complications compared to uneventful cataract surgeries [ 17 ], and following small-incision cataract surgery compared to phacoemulsification cataract surgeries [ 18 ]. In view of all these risk factors related to CME (both clinical and sub-clinical), different professional bodies recommend topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) application following cataract surgeries [ 12 , 19 ].…”