This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (17)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Ophthalmology, Other  • Alert me on articles by topic

I. Methodology, Population, Frequency of Retinopathy, and Visual Impairment

Monique S. Roy, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2000;118:97-104.

Objective  To determine the frequency and severity of diabetic retinopathy, as well as associated visual impairment, among African Americans with type 1 diabetes.

Methods  A total of 725 African Americans with type 1 diabetes were enrolled in the study (The New Jersey 725). Clinical evaluations included structured clinical interview, ocular examination, stereoscopic fundus photography, and blood pressure measurements. Severity of retinopathy was determined via masked grading of fundus photographs. Biological evaluations included blood and urine assays.

Results  Of the 725 patients, 463 (63.9%) presented with any diabetic retinopathy and 137 (18.9%) with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The frequency and severity of retinopathy were both significantly associated with older age at examination. Visual impairment (visual acuity in the better eye 20/40) was present in 79 (11.0%) and legal blindness in 22 (3.1%) of the patients. Diabetic retinopathy was responsible for 90.9% of the blindness. Frequency of visual impairment was significantly associated with older age and female sex, and only weakly with lower education.

Conclusions  Diabetic retinopathy in African Americans with type 1 diabetes is common, being found in almost two thirds of the patients studied. Its frequency and severity increase with age. Visual impairment is common, increasing with age and duration of diabetes and is more frequent in women than in men.

From the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey Medical School, Newark.

RELATED ARTICLE

Diabetic Retinopathy in African Americans With Type 1 Diabetes: The New Jersey 725: II. Risk Factors
Monique S. Roy
Arch Ophthalmol. 2000;118(1):105-119.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Six-Year Incidence of Visual Loss in African Americans With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: The New Jersey 725
Roy and Skurnick
Arch Ophthalmol 2007;125:1061-1067.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Six-Year Incidence of Proteinuria in Type 1 Diabetic African Americans
Roy et al.
Diabetes Care 2007;30:1807-1812.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Depression is a Risk Factor for Poor Glycemic Control and Retinopathy in African-Americans With Type 1 Diabetes
Roy et al.
Psychosom. Med. 2007;69:537-542.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Six-year progression of retinopathy and associated risk factors in african american patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: the new jersey 725.
Roy and Affouf
Arch Ophthalmol 2006;124:1297-1306.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy Among Adult Type 1 Diabetic Persons in the United States
Roy et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2004;122:546-551.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Socioeconomic status and blindness
Dandona and Dandona
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2001;85:1484-1488.
FULL TEXT  

Macular Edema and Retinal Hard Exudates in African Americans With Type 1 Diabetes: The New Jersey 725
Roy and Klein
Arch Ophthalmol 2001;119:251-259.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Diabetic Retinopathy in African Americans With Type 1 Diabetes: The New Jersey 725: II. Risk Factors
Roy
Arch Ophthalmol 2000;118:105-119.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT