Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on diabetic retinopathy and referral levels in the English National Health Service Diabetic Eye Screening Programme.

IF 3.2 3区医学 Q2 ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM Diabetic Medicine Pub Date : 2025-02-03 DOI:10.1111/dme.15518

P H Scanlon, C F E Norridge, D Prentis, N Holman, P Rankin, J Valabhji

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Abstract

Aims: The aim was to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on diabetic retinopathy and referral rates in the English National Health Service (NHS) Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (DESP).

Methods: Non-patient identifiable data are submitted centrally from the 57 regional centres in the NHS DESP on a quarterly basis and analysed using STATA, comparing 01/04/2019-31/03/2020 and 01/04/2021-31/03/2022. Patient characteristics were analysed from National Diabetes Audit (NDA) data.

Results: There were 2,274,635 grades from the 57 centres in 2019-2020 and 2,199,623 grades in 2021-2022. The proportion of eyes with referable DR increased from 3.1% in 2019-2020 to 3.2% in the 2021-2022 NHS year (p < 0.01) with a small increase in the level of non-referable DR from 24.6% to 24.8% (p < 0.01). The median proportion of ungradable eyes in 2019-2020 was 2.6% (IQR: 2.3% to 3.3%) increasing to 3.1% (IQR: 2.5% to 3.7%) in 2021-2022. NDA data demonstrated that the proportions with type 1 diabetes receiving eye screening were higher in the latter year (8.3% vs. 7.3%).

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with small increases in referable retinopathy rates from 3.1% to 3.2%, non-referable DR from 24·6% to 24.8% and an increase in the ungradable image rate from 2.6% to 3.1%, the latter increase possibly being caused by untreated cataract during the pandemic. Risk stratification of invitations in the recovery period was believed to have contributed to keeping the referable rates low and supports a similar approach in extension of the screening interval for low-risk groups.

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来源期刊

Diabetic Medicine 医学-内分泌学与代谢

CiteScore

7.20

自引率

5.70%

发文量

229

审稿时长

3-6 weeks

期刊介绍： Diabetic Medicine, the official journal of Diabetes UK, is published monthly simultaneously, in print and online editions. The journal publishes a range of key information on all clinical aspects of diabetes mellitus, ranging from human genetic studies through clinical physiology and trials to diabetes epidemiology. We do not publish original animal or cell culture studies unless they are part of a study of clinical diabetes involving humans. Categories of publication include research articles, reviews, editorials, commentaries, and correspondence. All material is peer-reviewed. We aim to disseminate knowledge about diabetes research with the goal of improving the management of people with diabetes. The journal therefore seeks to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas between clinicians and researchers worldwide. Topics covered are of importance to all healthcare professionals working with people with diabetes, whether in primary care or specialist services. Surplus generated from the sale of Diabetic Medicine is used by Diabetes UK to know diabetes better and fight diabetes more effectively on behalf of all people affected by and at risk of diabetes as well as their families and carers.”