Patient demographic and background characteristics by diabetic retinopathy stage
| Parameter | NDR (n=777) | SDR (n=133) | PPDR (n=50) | PDR (n=39) | P value |
| Age (years) | 64.1±9.8 | 65.3±9.6 | 67.3±8.5 | 66.6±7.2 | 0.039 |
| Male gender (%) | 482 (62.0) | 84 (63.2) | 23 (46.0) | 19 (48.7) | 0.050 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 24.6±3.8 | 24.7±3.8 | 24.4±4.1 | 25.1±4.3 | 0.838 |
| Estimated duration of diabetes (years) | 11.8±8.0 | 15.6±8.9 | 17.5±9.6 | 19.1±9.6 | <0.001 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 130.9±15.1 | 133.1±14.0 | 132.3±13.9 | 130.3±14.4 | 0.403 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 75.6±11.3 | 76.5±10.2 | 71.9±9.7 | 75.5±10.4 | 0.089 |
| HbA1c (%) | 7.0±0.8 | 7.2±0.9 | 7.6±0.9 | 7.6±1.1 | <0.001 |
| HbA1c (mmol/mol) | 52.8±8.2 | 55.2±9.4 | 59.1±9.6 | 59.8±11.8 | <0.001 |
| Total cholesterol (mmol/L) | 4.87±0.81 | 4.55±0.79 | 4.51±0.63 | 4.81±0.96 | <0.001 |
| LDL cholesterol (mmol/L) | 2.71±0.68 | 2.54±0.67 | 2.45±0.78 | 2.57±0.65 | 0.005 |
| HDL cholesterol (mmol/L) | 1.57±0.41 | 1.51±0.33 | 1.57±0.37 | 1.57±0.49 | 0.450 |
| Triglycerides (mmol/L) | 1.4±0.9 | 1.1±0.6 | 1.5±1.2 | 1.5±1.0 | 0.029 |
| Uric acid (μmol/L) | 306.6±72.3 | 315.4±72.7 | 278.1±71.3 | 333.9±78.1 | 0.002 |
| Estimated glomerular filtration rate (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 75±20 | 72±24 | 68±18 | 58±25 | <0.001 |
| Urinary albumin excretion (mg/g creatinine) | 67.9±254 | 73.6±206 | 212±464 | 607±1261 | <0.001 |
| Use of oral glucose-lowering agents | 677 (87.1) | 129 (97) | 49 (98) | 39 (100) | <0.001 |
| Metformin (%) | 402 (51.7) | 93 (69.9) | 34 (68.0) | 14 (35.9) | <0.001 |
| Sulfonylureas (%) | 89 (11.5) | 20 (15.0) | 8 (16.0) | 10 (25.6) | 0.044 |
| Glinides (%) | 40 (5.1) | 12 (9.0) | 9 (18.0) | 7 (17.9) | <0.001 |
| Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (%) | 435 (56.0) | 87 (65.4) | 31 (62.0) | 24 (61.5) | 0.188 |
| Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (%) | 167 (21.5) | 34 (25.6) | 19 (38.0) | 11 (28.2) | 0.038 |
| Thiazolidinediones (%) | 100 (12.9) | 23 (17.3) | 13 (26.0) | 7 (17.9) | 0.041 |
| α-glucosidase inhibitors (%) | 117 (15.1) | 39 (29.3) | 10 (20.0) | 6 (15.4) | <0.001 |
| Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (%) | 36 (4.6) | 18 (13.5) | 11 (22.0) | 9 (23.1) | <0.001 |
| Insulin (%) | 94 (12.1) | 31 (23.3) | 13 (26.0) | 20 (51.3) | <0.001 |
| Use of antihypertensive drugs | 346 (44.5) | 79 (59.4) | 29 (58.0) | 29 (74.4) | <0.001 |
| ACE inhibitors (%) | 19 (2.4) | 5 (3.8) | 2 (4.0) | 2 (5.1) | 0.323 |
| Angiotensin II receptor blockers (%) | 278 (35.8) | 67 (50.4) | 22 (44.0) | 23 (59.0) | <0.001 |
| Calcium channel blockers (%) | 193 (24.8) | 44 (33.1) | 19 (38.0) | 17 (43.6) | 0.005 |
| Diuretic drugs (%) | 35 (4.5) | 13 (9.8) | 3 (6.0) | 6 (15.4) | 0.006 |
| α-adrenergic receptor antagonists (%) | 13 (1.7) | 4 (3.0) | 1 (2.0) | 1 (2.6) | 0.455 |
| β-adrenergic receptor antagonists (%) | 26 (3.3) | 4 (3.0) | 1 (2.0) | 2 (5.1) | 1.000 |
| Use of lipid-lowering agents (%) | 450 (58.1) | 93 (69.9) | 35 (70.0) | 17 (43.6) | 0.005 |
| Statins (%) | 386 (49.8) | 73 (54.9) | 32 (64.0) | 17 (43.6) | 0.140 |
| Ezetimibe (%) | 76 (9.8) | 23 (17.3) | 5 (10.0) | 3 (7.7) | 0.089 |
| Fibrates (%) | 31 (4) | 6 (4.5) | 4 (8.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.298 |
| Use of antithrombotic agents (%) | 48 (6.2) | 8 (6.0) | 5 (10.0) | 3 (7.7) | 0.623 |
| Antiplatelet agents (%) | 36 (4.6) | 8 (6.0) | 5 (10.0) | 1 (2.6) | 0.297 |
| Anticoagulants (%) | 13 (1.7) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (5.1) | 0.110 |
| FLP-CGM-derived metrics | |||||
| Mean glucose (mmol/L) | 7.66±1.71 | 8.09±1.77 | 8.55±2.06 | 8.61±2.48 | <0.001 |
| SD (mmol/L) | 2.00±0.60 | 2.07±0.61 | 2.20±0.72 | 2.46±0.80 | <0.001 |
| CV (%) | 26.2±5.84 | 25.5±5.38 | 25.9±5.72 | 28.8±5.66 | 0.019 |
| MAGE (mmol/L) | 5.36±1.93 | 5.43±1.76 | 5.93±2.39 | 6.82±2.99 | <0.001 |
| TIR3.9–10 mmol/L (%) | 80.4±17.6 | 76.3±19.8 | 70.3±22.8 | 68.9±21.9 | <0.001 |
| TAR>10 mmol/L (%) | 17.4±18.0 | 22.2±20.7 | 27.6±24.5 | 27.8±22.8 | <0.001 |
| TAR>13.9 mmol/L (%) | 3.28±8.64 | 4.41±9.20 | 7.55±10.9 | 8.51±16.0 | <0.001 |
| TBR<3.9 mmol/L (%) | 2.21±4.93 | 1.56±3.33 | 2.08±4.28 | 3.29±4.72 | 0.210 |
| TBR<3.0 mmol/L (%) | 0.350±1.67 | 0.11±0.36 | 0.27±0.77 | 0.68±1.59 | 0.178 |
| LBGI | 1.60±1.72 | 1.25±1.20 | 1.31±1.44 | 2.16±1.99 | 0.010 |
| HBGI | 5.26±4.35 | 5.99±4.50 | 7.26±5.29 | 8.38±7.58 | <0.001 |
| MODD (mmol/L) | 1.69±0.61 | 1.78±0.56 | 1.95±0.66 | 2.34±1.00 | <0.001 |
| IQR (mmol/L) | 2.09±0.79 | 2.16±0.72 | 2.33±0.76 | 2.95±1.20 | <0.001 |
Data are mean±SD or number of patients (%).
Continuous data were compared using analysis of variance. Categorical data were compared using χ2 test or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate.
BMI, body mass index; CV, coefficient of variation; FLP-CGM, FreeStyle Libre Pro continuous glucose monitoring device; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c; HBGI, high blood glucose index; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LBGI, low blood glucose index; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; MAGE, mean amplitude of glycemic excursions; MODD, mean of daily differences; NDR, no diabetic retinopathy; PDR, proliferative diabetic retinopathy; PPDR, preproliferative diabetic retinopathy; SDR, simple retinopathy; TAR, time above range; TBR, time below range; TIR, time in range.