Am J Epidemiol 2003; 158:225-233.
Copyright © 2003 by Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS |
Relations of Serum Ascorbic Acid and 
-Tocopherol to Diabetic Retinopathy in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
1 Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, WI.
2 Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, WI.
The protective relation of ascorbic acid and 
-tocopherol to the development of diabetic retinopathy has not been thoroughly evaluated in epidemiologic studies. The association of prevalent diabetic retinopathy with serum ascorbic acid and -tocopherol was studied among participants with type 2 diabetes (
40 years) (n = 998) in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994); 20% of the sample (n = 199) had prevalent retinopathy. The overall odds ratio for retinopathy among participants in quartile 4 compared with quartile 1 for serum ascorbic acid was 1.3 (95% confidence interval: 0.8, 2.3), with a p for trend = 0.60 after adjustment for the confounders of smoking, race, waist/hip ratio, hypertension, and duration of diabetes. The overall odds ratio for retinopathy among participants in quartile 4 compared with quartile 1 for serum -tocopherol was 2.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.6, 4.6), with a p for trend = 0.14 after adjustment for confounders. After removal of supplement users of vitamin C (n = 307) or vitamin E (n = 298), the odds ratio changed direction or was attenuated: adjusted odds ratios for retinopathy among participants in quartile 4 compared with quartile 1 for serum ascorbic acid and -tocopherol = 0.7 (95% confidence interval: 0.3, 1.4) and 1.6 (95% confidence interval: 0.9, 2.9), respectively. In summary, no significant associations were observed between serum levels of major dietary antioxidants and retinopathy. Recent use of supplements for treatment of complications of diabetes may explain the direct associations.
ascorbic acid; diabetic retinopathy; nutrition surveys; vitamin E
Abbreviations: Abbreviation: NHANES III, Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  R. A. Kowluru, M. Kanwar, P.-S. Chan, and J. P. Zhang Inhibition of Retinopathy and Retinal Metabolic Abnormalities in Diabetic Rats With AREDS-Based Micronutrients Arch Ophthalmol, September 1, 2008; 126(9): 1266 - 1272. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Ryskulova, K. Turczyn, D. M. Makuc, M. F. Cotch, R. J. Klein, and R. Janiszewski Self-Reported Age-Related Eye Diseases and Visual Impairment in the United States: Results of the 2002 National Health Interview Survey Am J Public Health, March 1, 2008; 98(3): 454 - 461. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. E Millen, R. Klein, A. R Folsom, J. Stevens, M. Palta, and J. A Mares Relation between intake of vitamins C and E and risk of diabetic retinopathy in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2004; 79(5): 865 - 873. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. A. Mares, T. L. La Rowe, and B. A. Blodi Doctor, What Vitamins Should I Take for My Eyes? Arch Ophthalmol, April 1, 2004; 122(4): 628 - 635. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|