Intensive treatment for T2D slows retinopathy

Intensive glycaemic and lipid control slows the rate of retinopathy progression in patients with type 2 diabetes by about one-third, according to an analysis of the ACCORD trial (NEJM 2010; doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa 1001288).

    ACCORD included 10 251 patients with type 2 diabetes who were at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Intensive control (target HbA_1c <6.0 per cent) reduced the rate of progression of retinopathy to 7.3 per cent compared with 10.4 per cent with standard glycaemic control (target HbA1c 7.0-7.9 per cent).
    The corresponding figures for lipid therapy were 6.5 per cent with fenofibrate plus simvastatin and 10.2 per cent with simvastatin alone.
    Intensive blood pressure control did not reduce retinopathy progression.