Diabetes patients with retinopathy should be tested for OSA, researchers say

20 May 2009 - Posted by the Editorial Team

Researchers have argued that diabetes patients with retinopathy should also be tested for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

This follows an earlier study which revealed that 23 per cent of men suffering from type-2 diabetes also have OSA, which, according to Dr Sophie West, of the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine, UK, is "under-recognised and under-treated".

New findings, which were presented at the American Thoracic Society's international conference in San Diego yesterday (May 19th), suggested that OSA is linked to retinopathy in type-2 diabetes patients.

It was discovered that 54 per cent of diabetes patients with OSA also had retinopathy compared to 31 per cent of those without OSA.

Dr West said the association between OSA and retinopathy "should be further investigated".

"While the study only analysed data from men, there is no reason to believe that gender would play a role in the results," she explained.

Retinopathy is the most common diabetic eyes disease and the primary cause of blindness among adults living in the US.

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