Abstract
Purpose :
Several risk factors for the development of diabetic macular edema (DME) have been well-characterized, but whether smoking is a risk factor is less clear. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of cigarette smoking on the risk of developing diabetic macular edema (DME) among patients with diabetes.
Methods :
This was a retrospective propensity matched cohort study that utilized claims data for patients from all 50 states from 2010-2020. Patients with an initial diagnosis of diabetes were stratified into three cohorts: active smokers, never smokers, and former smokers. After exact matching based on demographics and comorbidities, Kaplan-Meier survival functions for the three cohorts were compared using pairwise log-rank tests.
Results :
After matching, there were 42,298 patients in each cohort. Over six years of follow up, the cumulative risk of DME was significantly higher among never smokers (1.18%) when compared with active smokers (0.88%, p<.001) and former smokers (0.90%, p<.001).
Conclusions :
Among patients with diabetes, smoking may decrease the risk of developing DME. While the harms of smoking far outweigh any potential protective benefits, further investigation into the mechanisms behind these findings has potential to uncover novel therapeutic targets.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.