Association between Age at Type 2 Diabetes Onset and Diabetic Retinopathy: A Double-Center Retrospective Study

Background. With the decreasing age of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) onset, the incidence of diabetic complications is gradually increasing. We evaluated the independent effect of age at diabetes onset on diabetic retinopathy (DR) development. Methods. A total of 7472 patients with T2DM were enrolled in the National Metabolic Management Center from September 2017 to May 2022. Anthropometry data, laboratory reports, and medical history were collected. The independent association of DR with age at diabetes onset was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models. In addition, a stratified analysis was performed to determine the effect of confounding variables. Results. Of the 7472 patients recruited, 1642 (21.98%) had DR. Patients with DR had considerably younger ages of diabetes onset than those without DR (45 (38–53) years vs. 50 (43–57) years, P