Results from a recent population-based study were published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice and the results highlight the elevated risk to type 2 diabetic patients who have psoriasis in developing diabetic retinopathy (DR).
The research team at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital reviewed data from the global TriNetX network to evaluate whether the inflammatory skin condition, psoriasis, impacts eye health in people with diabetes. Data from 85,691 adults with type 2 diabetes and psoriasis was compared to an equal number of individuals who had diabetes but not psoriasis. Both groups did not have a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy at baseline.
Researchers discovered that patients with both type 2 diabetes and psoriasis were two times more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy. In addition, these same patients had almost two and half times the risk of developing vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy.
The link between DR and psoriasis is believed to be chronic systemic inflammation and researchers note that the dermatologic, endocrine and opthalmic health of patients is intimately linked and prioritizing routine eye exams for diabetic patients who also have psoriasis is important.
