Prevalence and clinical characteristics of blepharoptosis in patients with diabetes in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2009–2010

We investigated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of ptosis in patients with diabetes in the general Korean population. This cross-sectional study is based on data from the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys , conducted in 2009 and 2010 among members of the Korean population. Participants included 5,811 males and 7,650 females 20 years of age or older. Ptosis was defined as the marginal reflex distance 1 of <2 mm. Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance was calculated in participants without diabetes. HbA1c was measured and diabetic retinopathy was defined in participants with diabetes by ophthalmologic examination. The prevalence of ptosis was 20.8 and 9.4 % among participants with diabetes (n = 1,379) and those without diabetes (n = 12,082), respectively. Results of multiple regression analyses of the correlation between ptosis and the study variables showed that diabetes was a significant determinant in the general population. Patients with diabetes and ptosis had longer duration of diabetes (7.49 ± 0.51 vs. 6.19 ± 0.23 years, P = 0.012), higher serum creatinine level (80.4 ± 1.76 vs. 76.9 ± 0.88 mmol/l, P = 0.009), and higher prevalence of hypertension (60.3 vs. 47.9 %, P < 0.001), and were older (67.0 ± 0.6 vs. 60.5 ± 0.4 years, P < 0.001) compared to those without ptosis. Prevalence of ptosis was found to be remarkably higher in subjects with diabetes compared to those without diabetes. Diabetes is an independent risk factor for ptosis in the general Korean population. Screening for ptosis is warranted for patients with diabetes and longer duration, higher serum creatinine, hypertension, and old age.