Tienhaara E, Falck AAK, Pokka TML, et al. - This prospective follow-up study demonstrates that diabetic retinopathy (DR) development in adolescence and early adulthood is not rare and rises with age in patients with worsening metabolic control during puberty and thereafter. Therefore, glycemic control deterioration should be prevented during puberty in children with diabetes.

• A total of 26 participants were included, 25 encountered DR by early adulthood following a median diabetes span of 16.2 years (range 6.3 – 24.0).

• Independent link of the following with emerging DR was evident: age (OR 1.47) stronger than diabetes duration (OR 1.42) and HbA1c (OR 1.02) in this population.

• Multivariate analysis revealed that only age was related to DR (adjusted OR 1.52).