Is diabetic retinopathy affected by diabetes type? A retrospective study using electronic medical record data from patients with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, type 1 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes

AIMS: To determine whether the occurrence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and its related factors are affected by diabetes type (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults [LADA], type 1 diabetes mellitus [T1DM], type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM]). METHODS: LADA patients were matched for age (± 2 years) and sex to T1DM (1:1) and T2DM (1:2) patients. Retrieved variables included demographic characteristics, diabetes history, laboratory test findings, and history of DR screening, etc. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to identify influencing factors of DR. A decision tree was used to explore interactions between diabetes type and other influencing factors of DR. RESULTS: We included 110 LADA, 101 T1DM, and 220 T2DM patients. DR prevalence was 26.4% in LADA patients, lower than that in T1DM (50.5%) and T2DM (47.7%) patients (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that diabetes duration (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.1–1.26, P < 0.001) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) (OR = 42.39, 95% CI: 10.88–165.11, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for DR, and regular DR screening (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.16–0.69, P = 0.003) was an independent protective factor. Decision tree analysis showed that in patients without DN with a diabetes duration of at least 10.5 years, T1DM and LADA patients had a higher incidence of DR than T2DM patients (72.7% vs. 55.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of DR in diabetes patients was affected by diabetes duration, DN occurrence, and regular DR screening. Diabetes type indirectly affects DR occurrence through its interaction with diabetes duration and DN. Correct LADA diagnosis is necessary, and DR screening needs to be well-implemented. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00592-021-01748-0.