Abstract
The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and its correlation with the serum HGH levels were studied in the aged with diabetic glucose tolerance (diabetics). The following results were obtained:
1. Diabetic retinopathy was found in 37 % of the aged diabetics. Most of the retinopathies (96%) were non-proliferative and were not severe (ScottII>, 67 %).
2.0ccurrence of diabetic retinopathy correlated well with the duration of abnormal glucose tolerance, but not with the age of the patient.
3. Basal serum HGH levels in the aged diabetics with retinopathy was not significantly different from those without retinopathy. The maximum response of HGH to insulin hypoglycemia was significantly lower in diabetics with retinopathy than in those without retinopathy. On the other hand, HGH responses to arginine in these two groups were not significantly different.
Although a high serum HGH level has been postulated as a causative factor in the development of diabetic retinopathy, particularly the proliferative type, in the young, our present study clearly demonstrates that HGH may not play an important role in the development of retinopathy in aged diabetics. Low levels of serum HGH in aged diabetics may be related to a non-proliferative type of retinopathy.
