Aim: To estimate hospital based prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among persons with Diabetes Mellitus in the age group of 20-60 years and to find out the association of selected study variables with retinopathy.

Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in 420 patients attended in OPD. Risk factors assessed using structured interviewer administered questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory reports. Dilated fundus evaluation was done, and retinopathy classified. Analysis done with SPSS software.

Results: Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among studied population is 48.1% (95% CI 43.4 - 52.9%). 

Significant positive association with diabetic retinopathy was obtained for Age >50 years (OR-2.11; P<0.005), Male gender (OR-1.50; P<0.05), Duration of diabetes >10 years (OR-7.94; p<0.001), HbA1c >7% (OR 4.685; P<0.001), Insulin treatment (OR-4.685; P-<0.001), Hypertension (OR 1.68;P-0.008), CKD (P <0.0001), high urine microalbumin (P- 0.000), Anemia (OR- 2.77; P- 0.02), Smoking((OR- 2.85; P-0.001) and Sedentary habits(OR 1.78;P-0.013). Duration of DM >10 years, Poor glycemic control, high urine microalbumin and treatment with insulin shows significant association on multivariate analysis and binary logistic regression.

Conclusion: Hospital based Prevalence of diabetes is 48.1%. Duration of diabetes, poor glycemic control, insulin treatment and high urine microalbumin are independent risk factors for retinopathy.

Keywords:  Prevalence, Diabetic retinopathy, Duration, Insulin treatment.

1. Vinícius Carriero Lima, ^1,2Gabriela Coutinho Cavalieri,¹ Maurício Carriero Lima,¹ Nazaré et al Otília  Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy: a case–control study;nt J Retina Vitreous. 2016; 2: 21.
2. Narendran V, John RK, RaghuramA, Ravindran RD, Nirmalan PK, Thulasiraj RD. Diabetic retinopathy among self reported diabetics in southern India: a population based assessment. Br J Ophthalmol. 2002;86:1014–1018
3. Rema M¹, Premkumar S, Anitha B, Deepa R, Pradeepa R, Mohan V. Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in urban India: the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES) eye study, I.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.2005 Jul;46(7):2328-33.
4. Rema M, Ponnaiya M, Mohan V. Prevalence of retinopathy in non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus at a diabetes centre in southern India. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 1996 Sep;34(1):29–36.
5. Kohner EM, Aldington SJ, Stratton IM, et al. Diabetic retinopathy at diagnosis of non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and associated risk factors. United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study, 30. Arch Ophthalmology. 1998;116:297–303
6. Agardh E, Agardh CD, Koul S, Torffvit O. A four year follow up study on the incidence of diabetic retinopathy in older onset diabetes mellitus. Diabet Med. 1994;11:273–278.
7. Cohen O, Norymberg K, Neumann E, Dekel H. Complication free duration and the risk of development of retinopathy in elderly diabetic patients. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158:641–644.
8. Yoshida Y, Hagura R, Hara Y, Sugasawa G, Akanuma Y. Risk factors for the development of diabetic retinopathy in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2001;51:195–203
9. Klein R, Klein BE, Moss SE, Karthyn MA. The Beaver Dam Eye Study: Retinopathy in adults with newly discovered and previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus. Ophthalmology. 1992;99:58–62
10. R Kleinand B E K Klein Blood pressure control and diabetic retinopathy; Br J Ophthalmol. 2002 Apr; 86(4): 365–367
11. Rani PK, Raman R, Gupta A,Pal SS, Kulothungan V, Sharma T. Albuminuria and Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 diabetes Mellitus Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiologic and molecular Genitic Study (SN-DREAMS, report 12).DiabetolMetab Syndr.2011 May 25;(1):9.
12. Raman R¹, Rani PK, Gnanamoorthy P, Sudhir RR, Kumaramanikavel G, Sharma T.association of obesity with diabetic retinopathy: sankaranethralaya diabetic retinopathy epidemiology and molecular genetics study Acta Diabetol.2010 Sep;47(3):209-15.
13. David K. Cundiffand Claudio R. Nigg, PhD Diet and Diabetic Retinopathy: Insights From the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) Med Gen Med7(1); 2005 PMC168138.
14. Dirani m¹, Crowstonjg, Van wijngaarden P. Physical inactivity as a risk factor for diabetic retinopathy? A review Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2014 Aug;42(6):574-81.

Dr Jasmin LB

Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, RIO, Government Medical College Trivandrum, Kerala

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.