Diabetic Retinopathy: Prevalence and Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetic Patients of Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common complication of diabetes.Our objective was to determine the frequency of this complication in a type 2 diabetic population and identify the predictive risk factors through a cross-sectional study involving 279 diabetics (type 2).This study was conducted in Sidi Bel Abbes (north west of Algeria). DR was found in 34% of patients,14% had proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and 8% had diabetic macular edema (DME). In univariate analysis, age, diabetes duration, glycosylated hemoglobin ( HbA1c), high blood pressure (HT) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) were significantly correlated to this complication with respectively P < 0.001; < 0.001; 0. 005 ; 0. 012 and 0.011. A growing relationship between retinopathy and age was found. DR also increases with the duration of diabetes After 20 years, 76.5% of our patients develop retinopathy. The frequency of DR increased significantly with increasing level of HbA1c. Patients with DR had greater mean HbA1c level than those without DR with respectively 8. 37 and 7. 71%.58. 8% were hypertensive. DR prevalence was higher 40.9% in patients who had hypertension compared to 24.5% in those with normal blood pressure. DN was found in 9% of patients .DR prevalence was higher in patients with DN in comparison to patients without DN with respectively 63% ; 34 %.The evaluation of risk factors of DR and its early detection was to be necessary to delay or even prevent this complication.