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

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’ 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 ‘high-risk’ and HbA1c ≤7% as ‘low-risk’. 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’ 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.