Correlation of Severity of Diabetic Setinopathy with Various Risk Factors

Objective: To determine correlation of severity of diabetic retinopathy with various risk factors. Material and Methods: The study was conducted on a total of 200 diabetic patients. The cases were selected from patients attending OPD of Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Govt. Medical college, Amritsar over a period of four years. The association of risk factors – duration of diabetes, dyslipidemia, glycemic control, hypertension, role of genetics, anemia, pregnancy, alcohol, hypomagnesemia and smoking with severity of diabetic retinopathy was determined. Results: Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 43.5% with mild NPDR in 16.5%, moderate NPDR in 9%, severe NPDR in 8.5%, very severe NPDR in 4.5% and PDR in 5%. Severity of diabetic retinopathy is significantly affected by uncontrolled diabetes (p<0.001), longer duration of diabetes<0.001), systemic hypertension (p<0.001), hyperlipidemia (p< 0.001), anemia (p<0.001) and hypomagnesemia (p < 0.001). However effect of pregnancy (p= 0.358), alcohol intake (p=0.358) and smoking (p=0.851) was not found to affect prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in our study. Conclusion: Severity of diabetic retinopathy is significantly affected by uncontrolled diabetes, duration of diabetes, systemic hypertension, hyperlipidemia, anemia and hypomagnesemia. However effect of pregnancy, alcohol intake and smoking was not found to affect prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in our study Key words: Diabetes; Hyperlipidemia; Hypertension; Retinopathy; Smoking.