Prevalence of retinopathy and associated risk factors among high- A nd low-risk patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. An observational study

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) of different risks, based on the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in in the chronic illness clinics in Saudi Arabia between January 2019 and February 2020. Data were extracted from 428 T2DM patients f medical records and random sampling were carried out using a ratio of 1:3, matched for gender and duration of DM. Patients with HbA1c level .9% were classified as ehigh-risk f and HbA1c .7% as elow-risk f. Retinopathy was confirmed by an ophthalmologist using fundus photography. Results: The prevalence of DR in high-risk patient was 88.1% and 22.1% in low-risk patients. The prevalence of macular oedema was higher in the high-risk compared to low-risk patients (15.8% versus 4.9%, p<0.001). Patients f mean age was 61 }11 years and duration of diabetes was 13 }7 years. Hemoglobin A1c and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly higher in high-risk patients (p<0.0001) in bivariate but not multivariate analysis. Conclusion: High HbA1c and LDL levels were associated with DR risk. Further multicentre studies involving large samples are required to assess the risk factors associated with DR progression.