Lisinopril Cuts Retinopathy In Normotensive Diabetics

For the first time, a large multicenter study has shown that treatingnormotensive type I diabetics with ACE inhibitors can reduce the risk of retinopathy progression. The new data, from the EURODIAB Controlled trial of Lisinopril in Insulin dependent Diabetes (EUCLID), were presented at the American Society of Hypertension meeting in San Francisco last week.

Earlier data from the EUCLID study had shown that lisinopril (Zeneca's Zestril), given at a dose of 10 to 20mg/day, reduced albumin excretion rates in these patients, indicating a beneficial effect on renal function. A total of 530 patients were enrolled into the study, and 354 of them had retinal photographs taken at baseline and at the two-year follow-up interval.

Nish Chaturvedi of University College London, UK, reported the results of the retinopathy subgroup. All the patients were normotensive, and had little or no signs of renal disease. At baseline, 65% of the placebo group and 59% of the lisinopril group had retinopathy, predominantly mild and non-proliferative.