Is putting off the sweets worth the reward? The DCCT sought to understand whether tighter glycemic control would lead to better outcomes in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Prior to this study, there were limited cutoffs and guidance as to what Hemoglobin A1c levels and what type of insulin regimens were best for managing patients with Type 1 Diabetes. The DCCT randomized 1441 patients with Type 1 Diabetes to “intensive” versus “conventional” glucose control, and measured both the rate of retinopathy development (cohort 1) and retinopathy progression (cohort 2).
Key Points:
- “Intensive” glycemic control led to a 78.5% risk reduction in the development of DR and a 64.5% risk reduction in the progression of DR in those who had mild-moderate NPDR
- Across both treatment groups and both cohorts, lowering A1c led to significant reductions in the likelihood of DR development (10% A1c reduction led to 45% relative risk reduction) and DR progression (10% A1c reduction led to 43% relative risk reduction)
The DCCT (and the similar themed UKPDS for Type 2 Diabetes) illustrated across large sample sizes and randomized controlled trials the importance of tight glycemic control. Together, these two studies created a target goal for Hgb A1c < 7.0% for patients to avoid long-term ophthalmic complications from diabetes.
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