Relationship between Clinical Features of Diabetic Retinopathy and Systemic Factors in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Type II Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND: We investigated the relationship between clinical features of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and systemic factors in patients with newly diagnosed type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Retrospective review of newly diagnosed T2DM-patients who underwent complete ophthalmic examinations at the time of T2DM diagnosis were conducted. We reviewed DM related systemic factor data and investigated systemic factors related to the presence of DR at T2DM diagnosis. In DR patients, the relationship between DR severity and systemic factors was analyzed. RESULTS: Of 380 patients, forty (10.53%) patients had DR at the initial ophthalmologic examination. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1C)), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR), and urine microalbumin level were significantly higher in DR patients than in patients without DR. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, high HbA(1C) was a significant risk factor for the presence of DR at new T2DM diagnosis (odds ratio, 2.372; P < 0.001). HbA(1C), FPG, UACR, and urine microalbumin level showed significantly positive correlations with DR severity . CONCLUSION: In patients with newly diagnosed T2DM, 10.53% have DR at initial ophthalmologic examination and high HbA(1C), FPG, UACR and urine microalbumin levels. These factors are significantly positively correlated with DR severity. Therefore, more careful fundus examination is needed for newly diagnosed T2DM patients with high HbA(1C), FPG, UACR, and urine microalbumin levels.