Correlation of Risk Factors with the Severity of Diabetic Retinopathy at a Rural Health Facility in Sindh Pakistan

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and the resulting Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a significant health problem around the World. In 2019, the total number of diabetics worldwide was 463 million, and 35% had some DR. Objectives: To determine the correlation between the severity of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) and the known risk factors. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study design was used with convenience sampling in a primary, multispecialty day care health facility under the Baqai Foundation (Khushal Nagar) in a rural area of Sindh from 2020 - 2022. A total of 133 patients had some DR according to the International Classification of Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale (ICDRSS), which correlated with the different risk factors. Spearman rank correlation was used, and the result was considered significant when the P value was <.05. Results: The results showed a significant positive correlation between the severity of DR with Age, Random Blood Sugar, Hypertension, and Smoking. Glycated hemoglobin and hyperlipidemia were not significantly correlated, mainly because of the small sample size. (23 and 14 respectively). The patients who tried to have Lipid Profile and Glycated Hemoglobin done had stage four or five of ICDRSS. Conclusions: Most risk factors studied were positively correlated with the severity of DR. Besides the intended study, the findings highlighted the non-awareness of patients about DR and its consequences. Awareness campaigns and screening programs for DR and its risk factors are urgently required and tailored to our circumstances.