Higher albumin-corrected fructosamine (AlbF) levels were independently associated with nearly twofold higher odds of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), according to a retrospective cross-sectional study published in the Journal of Diabetes Research.

The analysis included 1,263 inpatients with T2DM, of whom 415 met eligibility criteria after applying exclusions. Participants were categorized into DR (n=174) and non-DR (n=241) groups based on fundus examination. The prevalence of DR in the study cohort was 41.9%.

AlbF was analyzed both as a continuous variable (per 10 μmol/g increment) and by tertiles. In fully adjusted multivariable logistic regression models controlling for sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory confounders, each 10 μmol/g increase in AlbF was associated with higher odds of DR (adjusted OR 1.88; 95% CI 1.36–2.60; p<0.001). A significant dose-response relationship was observed (p for trend <0.001). Patients in the highest AlbF tertile had 7.20-fold higher odds of DR (95% CI 2.82–18.40) compared with those in the lowest tertile. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and predefined subgroup interaction testing demonstrated consistent associations, with no significant interactions detected (p for interaction >0.05 across subgroups).

These findings demonstrate an independent and graded association between AlbF and the presence of DR. Prospective studies are needed to validate its potential role in DR identification and stratification.