Fenofibrate Slows Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy

Fenofibrate is U.S. FDA-approved for treating patients with lipid disorders — particularly, severe hypertriglyceridemia. Although several trials have shown that fenofibrate does not confer additional cardiovascular benefit when added to statin therapy, secondary outcomes suggested that it might lower need for laser treatment of diabetic retinopathy (NEJM JW Gen Med Aug 1 2010 and N Engl J Med 2010; 363:233; NEJM JW Gen Med Jan 15 2006 and Lancet 2005; 366:1849). To confirm these findings, researchers randomized 1150 Scottish patients with early-stage diabetic retinopathy or maculopathy to receive either fenofibrate or placebo. Patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/minute/1.73 m² were excluded; fenofibrate dosing v…