November 25, 2003
Complications
Question from the United Kingdom:
I am very aware of the correlation between average blood glucose levels and the development of the complications of diabetes. However, are the complications of diabetes intrinsically linked? Would an individual for example, whose only complication this far is mild background retinopathy (after more than 30 years duration of type 1 diabetes), be more likely to develop other complications such as nephropathy and neuropathy because of damage that has already occurred to the blood vessels (on the retina)? To what extent does the presence of one complication determine the likelihood of the development of other complications related to diabetes?
Answer:
The correlation of complications in most individuals is related to blood glucose control, not the existence of other complications. That being said, the question of the initial complication has to be considered. If the cause is the length of diabetes and not glucose control, then the likelihood of additional complications is less than if due to poor glucose control.
ABS
