Prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in hospital patients

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in ophthalmic patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. Diabetic patients who were admitted to Department of Ophthalmology, Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Muping between October 2012 and June 2013 were included. General information and medical history were obtained from each subject by questionaires. Laboratory and detailed ophthalmic examinations were performed during the study. DR was diagnosed and graded by mydriatic fundus photography. Prevalence of DR was calculated and logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between DR and various factors. Results: A total of 676 diabetic patients were included, and 455 of them presented with DR at a morbidity rate of 67.31%. Among DR patients, the number of mild, moderate, severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) patients and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients were 211 (46.37%), 167 (36.70%), 57 (12.53%) and 20 (4.40%), respectively. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of DR among different age groups (χ(2)=6.527, P=0.089). However, there was a significant difference between different disease duration groups (χ(2)=39.401, P<0.001), as well as between insulin therapy group and non-insulin therapy group (χ(2)=7.378, P=0.007). The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated the independent risk factors for DR occurrence were hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (OR=1.131, 95%CI: 1.022-1.252, P=0.011) and duration of diabetes (OR=1.077, 95%CI: 1.046-1.108, P<0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of DR in ophthalmic patients was associated with duration of diabetes, HbA1c, obesity, smoke, nephropaty and insulin therapy. Increased HbA1c level and longer duration of diabetes were independent risk factors for DR in diabetic patients.