Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a common disease in Saudi Arabia and globally, with some studies reporting about 30% prevalence among the Saudi population. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness among working-age patients, and it has a prevalence of 34.6% among diabetics worldwide. The objectives of this review were to examine the prevalence of DR in Saudi Arabia, describe the major associated risk factors, and raise awareness about the disease among diabetics.The prevalence of DR in Saudi Arabia has risen substantially in recent decades. Significant risk factors associated with DR include older age, longer duration of diabetes, poor glycemic control, and hypertension. Awareness and education about diabetes are associated with better outcomes and fewer complications.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that results from disturbances in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both, and leads to chronic hyperglycemia with defects in carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1]
In a study by Al-Rubeaan et al analyzing the Saudi National diabetes registry [20], the results showed that 19.7% of the total 50,464 patients with diabetes enrolled in the study had Diabetic retinopathy (DR), and a significantly higher proportion among males (61.2%) compared to females (38.8%); patients who had nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) comprised 9.1% of the total study population, while 10.6% of the sample had proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) [20]
In another study that was carried out in Medina, Saudi Arabia, the results showed that 36.1% of diabetic patients had DR; of those, 37.7% had mild NPDR, 22% had moderate NPDR, and 22.4% had severe NPDR, 2020 Alharbi et al Cureus 12(12): e11991
Summary
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that results from disturbances in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both, and leads to chronic hyperglycemia with defects in carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1]. It was the main cause of visual impairment among patients aged 50-59 years and among those who had chronic diseases, with a prevalence of 48.1% and 39.1% respectively [14] In another cross-sectional study done by Yasir et al in Riyadh Governorate (excluding the capital city), Saudi Arabia [28], the authors reported a DR prevalence of 44.7%. The details of the prevalence according to the mentioned classification are as follows: no DR (66%), NPDR (21%), NPDR and DME (8%), PDR (2%), PDR and DME (2%), and DME (1%) [28] In another more recent study carried out by Alramadan et al in three major cities (Riyadh, Jeddah, and Hafouf) in Saudi Arabia in 2019 [29], the risk factors for macro- and micro-vascular complications of diabetes mellitus were addressed. These improvements are clinically significant since every 1% reduction in HbA1c over 10 years accounts for 21% reduced risk for any endpoints related to diabetes, 21% for deaths attributed to diabetes, 14% lower risk for myocardial infarctions, and 37% for microvascular complications [37]
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