Causes of death and risk factors in young and old diabetic patients referred to a retinopathy clinic.

The causes of death and associated risk factors are compared in young and old diabetic patients attending a retinopathy clinic. Mortality in those diagnosed under and over the age of 30 years is also examined in order to compare insulin-dependent with non-insulin-dependent patients. A defined cohort attending the Hammersmith Hospital Retinopathy Clinic was followed for an average of 11 years.

Cigarette smoking: profiles of thromboxane- and prostacyclin-derived products in human urine.

Thromboxane (TX) B2, 2,3-dinor-TXB2, 11-dehydro-TXB2, 6-oxoprostaglandin (PG)F1 alpha and 2,3-dinor-6-oxo-PGF1 alpha were measured in 24 h urine samples obtained from 30 apparently healthy chronic cigarette smokers and 37 closely matched non-smoking control subjects. Samples were analysed using a newly developed assay based on immunoaffinity chromatography and capillary column gas chromatography/electron capture negative ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry. There were significant and comparable increases in the excretion rates of both 2,3-dinor-TXB2 and 11-dehydro-TXB2 in the smoking compared with the non-smoking group (2P less than 0.

Does vitreous fluorophotometry reflect severity of early diabetic retinopathy?

To determine the relationship between vitreous fluorophotometry (VF) and severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) 13 patients with mild to moderate background DR starting continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion were followed up serially for 12 months. They were studied by colour stereo retinal photographs, which were assessed by the Wisconsin Grading System, and by VF, which was assessed by the permeability index of the retina for fluorescein. By four months the severity of DR on colour photographs had deteriorated by at least one level in at least one eye in eight patients.

Progression of diabetic retinopathy and changes in serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF I) during continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII).

The rise in serum IGF I concentration during continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) may be a contributory factor in the deterioration of diabetic retinopathy that sometimes occurs during this treatment but the relation of serum levels to the severity of retinopathy has not been previously studied. In twelve non-obese insulin dependent diabetics (age range: 22-41 yrs) with mean +/- SD duration of diabetes: 14.8 +/- 4.