To Correlate the Relationship between Diabetic Retinopathy, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, and Its Association with Glycemic Control in Rural Population of South India

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) are among the most prevalent complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), both of which stem from microvascular complications and are believed to have a shared underlying pathophysiology. A notable challenge is that patients may go unnoticed for either condition by their treating physician, given that these complications typically fall under different medical specialties. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the clinical correlation between the severity of DR and DPN and explore their associations with glycemic variability and the levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Methodology: This is a hospital-based cross-sectional observational study involving 156 patients attending the ophthalmology outpatient department and the inpatient department at a tertiary care hospital in rural South India over a period of 2 years. Results: There was an increase in the severity of DR with increasing duration of DM among patients ( P < 0.001). The proportion of patients with DPN notably increased with increasing severity of DR among the patients ( P < 0.001). Notably, the number of patients with DR and DPN changes increased with increasing glycemic values. These findings suggest a statistically significant association between DR and DPN and glycemic control. Conclusion: This study revealed a positive correlation between the severity of DR and the presence of DPN, along with an association with HbA1c variability. This underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for comprehensive evaluation and management.