A study of systemic factors affecting diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

To study the systemic factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity) affecting diabetic retinopathy in Type 2 diabetes mellitus and to find out the prevalence of obesity, hypertension and dyslipidaemia in individuals having diabetes mellitus and association of these comorbidities with diabetic retinopathy. A total of 140 diagnosed diabetic subjects participated in the study. They were grouped according to the presence or absence of diabetic retinopathy. All the subjects were also evaluated for hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity. Observations from both the groups were compared to find association between the risk factors and retinopathy.Mean systolic blood pressure among retinopathy subjects(133.13mmHg) was higher than subjects without retinopathy(127.43mmHg). This difference was found to be statistically significant (p = 0.046). Mean lipid level among retinopathy subject was not significantly different than the mean lipid levels in the participants without retinopathy (p > 0.05). The difference between the BMI of the participants of both groups was found to be insignificant. (p>0.05). Duration of diabetes(p<0.005), glycosylated haemoglobin(p= 0.001) were significant factors too.Duration of diabetes, glycosylated haemoglobin levels, systolic blood pressure were significant risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy.