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Rapid onset of severe retinopathy, cataracts and neuropathy in young patients with diabetes mellitus
Author(s) -
Carroll Patricia B,
Herskowitz Raymonde D,
Goodman A David,
Busch Robert S,
Beaser Richard S
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1992.tb12243.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cataracts , diabetes mellitus , retinopathy , diabetic retinopathy , peripheral neuropathy , disease , pediatrics , eye disease , surgery , ophthalmology , endocrinology
It is rare for young diabetic patients to develop severe complications in the first years of their disease. We describe three patients, aged 14–23 years who developed cataracts and severe retinopathy within one to five years of diagnosis of diabetes. During the same period, one patient developed peripheral neuropathy and a second severe autonomic neuropathy. Rapid development of chronic complications in these patients raises the possibility that there may be a subset of patients with unusual susceptibility to complications. We re‐emphasize the need for vigilant monitoring for complications in young diabetic patients, even in the first few years of their disease. In particular, young patients with visual complaints should be evaluated carefully for evidence of treatable eye disease.