Factors protective against retinopathy in insulin-dependent diabetics free of retinopathy for 30 years.

Abstract

index of an increase in circulating adrenal oxysteroids.' Depression of eosinophil concentrations has been shown in response to surgery,2 trauma,3 exercise,4 and emotional stress.4 The low eosinophil counts found in acute severe asthma are compatible with a stress response related to the higher cortisol concentrations.5 The authors' argument that eosinophilia has a beneficial effect in chronic asthma while eosinopenia allows the development of acute asthma might lead one to expect that corticosteroids would produce an exacerbation of chronic asthma in association with their action of decreasing eosinophil counts. Yet even the authors agree that corticosteroids are beneficial in chronic asthma, and the recent controlled trial of Fanta et a16 also shows their importance in the treatment of acute asthma.

Association of Cigarette Smoking With Diabetic Retinopathy

“…This result was supported by many earlier studies (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22), but not by others (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). In the younger-onset group, there was some suggestion of a relationship between smoking and the incidence of any retinopathy in both univariate and multivariate analyses, but it was weak.…”

“…Cigarette smoking, a characteristic with potential for modification, if proved to be a risk factor for retinopathy, would have great public health implications for the prevention of this complication. Some studies have found an association between cigarette smoking and diabetic retinopathy (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12), whereas others have not (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). Many of these studies are hampered by their cross-sectional design or small sample sizes.…”