What is the study about?

Using variable diabetic retinopathy screening intervals, informed by personal risk levels, offers improved engagement of people with diabetes and reallocation of resources to high-risk groups, while addressing the increasing prevalence of diabetes. However, safety data on extending screening intervals are minimal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and cost-effectiveness of individualised, variable-interval, risk-based population screening compared with usual care, with wide-ranging input from individuals with diabetes.

Who can take part in the study?

A two-arm, parallel-assignment, equivalence RCT (minimum 2 year follow-up) in individuals with diabetes aged 12 years or older registered with a single English screening programme. Participants were randomly allocated 1:1 at baseline to individualised screening at 6, 12 or 24 months for those at high, medium and low risk, respectively, as determined at each screening episode by a risk-calculation engine.

What is being tested in the study?

With Liverpool CTU – the largest trial in ophthalmology in the world and building on 30 years work in diabetic retinopathy screening and economic evaluation. It determined detailed micro-costing for the cost of screening in DR including the management of a personal risk allocation engine for screening interval. There is ongoing work to link treatment to screening costs.

Funder

National Institute for Health and Care Research - Programme Grants for Applied Research (NIHR - PGfAR)

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