Prevalence of retinopathy and proteinuria in type 1 diabetics in Iceland.

The prevalence of retinopathy and proteinuria was assessed in 212 and 230 type 1 diabetics in Iceland respectively. They represent 78% and 84% of all such patients identified in the country. Retinopathy was present in 33.5%, background lesions only in 27.4% and more severe retinopathy in 6.1%. After 5-9 years of diabetes (mean 6.9) the prevalence of retinopathy was 18.8%, including 2.1% proliferative, and rose to 76.7% after 20 years or more of diabetes (mean 26.7), including 16.2% in the proliferative stage. Blindness was found in 2.4% of the patients. Diabetics diagnosed at the age of 0-19 years had a lower prevalence of retinopathy during their first 20 years of diabetes than those diagnosed later in life (p less than 0.05). Proteinuria was present in 14%, intermittent in 10% and continuous in 4%. After 10 years or more of diabetes (mean 19.3) the prevalence of intermittent and continuous proteinuria was 13.0% and 8.3%, respectively.