[Prevalence of smoking among diabetics and influence of tobacco on diabetic retinopathy].

Among 647 patent diabetics regularly followed who attended the out-patient clinic of a hospital Diabetology Department between December 1st, 1979 and June 30th, 1980, 35% were habitual smokers, 20% ex-smokers and 45% non-smokers. Insulin-treated diabetics did not smoke more than non insulin-treated diabetics. Only one-half of the smokers declared that they had been advised by a doctor to stop smoking. This study failed to demonstrate any effect of tobacco on the prevalence or severity of diabetic retinopathy.