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Background and Objectives: Hypertension has plausible reason to be show the interaction due to its independent effect on retina. Epidemiological studies also provide clue that for hypertension as a possible effect modifier in the risk development of retinopathy in diabetic patients. It is worth exploring whether subgroup in diabetic population with Hypertension have different risk potential of developing retinopathy. The present study aimed to assess the association of hypertension as a risk factor for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: A total of 977 type-2 diabetic patients recruited retrospectively in 2008 from Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorder (BIRDEM) based on hospital records for determining the incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR), who were naı̈ve type-2 diabetes during 1993. At the end of 15 year follow-up 495 patients were diagnosed as DR by retinal colour photography. Data on diabetes and lipid profile with serum creatinine, blood pressure and biophysical measures were obtained at baseline, 5, 10 and 15 years follow-up. Binary logistic regression model was used to assess the associations of co-existing hypertension with retinopathy risk adjusting for clinical, biochemical and anthropometric variables. Results: In all three follow-up points, including at baseline, mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure were found to significantly higher among patients who developed DR (P0.05). Conclusions: Co-existing hypertension is a significant risk factor of DR irrespective of nephropathy or glycolic control status among Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Bukht et al. (Sun,) studied this question.