Prevalence of diabetic macular edema in type 1 diabetes highlighted in new meta-analysis
Diabetic macular edema (DME) affects a substantial proportion of people with type 1 diabetes, with risk strongly linked to disease duration and poor glycemic control, as well as other comorbidities like hypertension and nephropathy, according to a study.
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers analyzed 63 publications encompassing over 20,000 patients, and found a pooled DME prevalence of 11.1% in people with type 1 diabetes. Each additional year of diabetes raised prevalence by 1.2%, while each 1% increase in HbA1c corresponded to a 4.7% increase. Other factors linked to higher DME rates included hypertension, dyslipidemia, and nephropathy.
The authors caution that the overall certainty of evidence is very low, underscoring the need for careful interpretation. They emphasize that these findings could inform personalized screening schedules and early interventions, and highlight the importance of future research incorporating emerging biomarkers and new diabetes management technologies.
Reference
Marques-Couto P, Afonso J, Coelho-Costa I, et al. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Diabetic Macular Edema in Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Ophthalmol Retina. 2025;S2468-6530(25)00433-6. doi: 10.1016/j.oret.2025.09.008. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41016555.
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