Table 3 The severity of diabetic retinopathy and risk of acute heart failure hospitalization among DM and CKD patients without a history of heart failure in multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analysis. Group 3 patients demonstrated significantly higher risk of HF hospitalization compared to group 1, indicating DR severity as an independent predictor of subsequent HF events.

From: Dissecting the relationship between heart failure and diabetic retinopathy severity in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease: an observational cohort study

Diabetic retinopathy severity

Acute heart failure

Hazard ratio (95% Confidence Interval)

p-value

Group 2

(Severe NPDR + Very severe NPDR)

Model 1

2.08 (1.32–3.29)

0.002

Model 2

1.83 (1.14–2.93)

0.012

Model 3

1.37 (0.83–2.26)

0.215

Group 3

(PDR + High-risk PDR)

Model 1

2.39 (1.61–3.56)

< 0.001

Model 2

2.15 (1.44–3.22)

< 0.001

Model 3

1.86 (1.22–2.83)

0.004

  1. Model 1: adjusted for age, gender, smoke, body mass index.
  2. Model 2: adjusted for age, gender, smoke, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, and statin medication.
  3. Model 3: adjusted for age, gender, smoke, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, statin medication, and laboratory data (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate).
  4. Group 1 as reference group (No apparent + Mild NPDR + Moderate NPDR).
  5. Abbreviations: NPDR: non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, PDR: proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
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