Temporal trends in the visual impairment burden attributable to high fasting plasma glucose levels: a population-based study.

AIMS: Elevated fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels have been associated with visual impairment. Recognising global patterns of high FPG level exposure can facilitate the prevention and treatment of related visual impairment. We aimed to assess the trends of the visual impairment burden attributable to high FPG levels globally, regionally, nationally, and by income level.

METHODS

We obtained data on the visual impairment burden attributable to high FPG levels from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. We evaluated the trends of related disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2019 through joinpoint regression analysis and calculated the annual percentage change (APC) and average APC (AAPC). Countries/territories were categorised into high-, upper-middle-, lower-middle-, and low-income groups based on the 2019 World Bank criteria.

RESULTS

The age-standardised rate of DALYs due to visual impairment attributable to high FPG levels significantly increased globally, from 6.75 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 1.55-15.79) in 1990 to 8.44 per 100,000 population (95% UI, 2.00-19.63) in 2019 (AAPC, 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-0.89; p < 0.001). The largest increases were observed in high-income (AAPC, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.60-0.85) and lower-middle-income countries/territories (AAPC, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.62-0.73). In 2019, lower-middle-income countries/territories had the highest age-standardised DALY rate (18.94 per 100,000 population; 95% UI, 4.39-43.98), whereas high-income countries/territories had the lowest (2.97 per 100,000 population; 95% UI, 0.75-6.74).

CONCLUSIONS

The visual impairment burden associated with elevated FPG levels has increased significantly, necessitating enhanced public health prevention measures, clinical management, and treatment to mitigate adverse outcomes.