High Fasting Blood Sugar and Increased Waist Circumference as Risk Factors for Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Older than 45 Years

Introduction Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a long-term impact on retinal micro-blood vessels, culminating in the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR); however; screening for DR is not widely used due to a lack of accessibility and economic constraints, especially in resource-limited settings. Thus, a longitudinal marker that is associated with the development of DR is required. This study sought to assess the association of DR with fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels and waist circumference. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital for one year. All individuals diagnosed with Type 2 DM (T2DM) and ≥45 years of age were included in the study. Individuals with fasting blood glucose levels of <126 mg/dl and <3 years of diagnosis with T2DM were excluded from the study. Individuals having one or more retinal microaneurysms or retinal blot hemorrhages, with or without any additional abnormalities, were diagnosed with DR. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among the study participants was 67.6 %. There was a significant association between increasing waist circumference (p = 0.009) and High FBS levels (p = 0.032) with the presence of DR. Conclusion Approximately two-thirds of the patients with T2DM aged >45 years and above have diabetic retinopathy. High FBS and waist circumference were associated with DR.