Diabetic Retinopathy and Dementia Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

eview question / Objective We aim to consolidate the existing literature on the association between diabetic retinopathy and dementia to provide a comprehensive understanding of their relationship. Condition being studiedTo investigate the association between diabetic retinopathy and dementia. METHODSParticipant or population The systematic review and meta-analysis included studies with a combined total of 2887409 participants. Intervention Not applicable. Comparator Not applicable.Study designs to be included We followed the MOOSE and PRISMA guidelines.Eligibility criteria Articles were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis if they met the following criteria: (1) observational studies (e.g., cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control); (2) involved adult patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR); (3) reported the risk of dementia among patients with DR; (4) included at least one primary outcome related to any type of dementia (e.g., general dementia, Alzheimer's disease); and (5) reported study effects in terms of odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR).The exclusion criteria were: (1) studies without a comparable group; (2) articles not published in English; and (3) reviews, commentaries, letters, editorials, case reports, and non-peer-reviewed sources.Information sources Initially, 1427 records were identified through electronic database searches, with 832 records remaining after removing duplicates.