Two studies of older adults with type 2 diabetes linked diabetic retinal disease with higher dementia risk. DME and more severe diabetic retinopathy were associated with higher all-cause and vascular dementia risk, but not consistently with Alzheimer’s disease.
C-peptide is described as a key biomarker for beta cell function in type 1 diabetes and a potential surrogate endpoint for drug approval. Current trial endpoints remain difficult for disease-modifying therapies.
A meta-analysis in BMC Ophthalmology found distinct gut microbiome compositional and functional alterations in diabetic retinopathy. The review identified depleted SCFA-producing bacteria, enriched pro-inflammatory bacteria, and dysregulated metabolic pathways.
