Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A hospital-based study

Objective: The number of people living with diabetes mellitus (DM) globally is expected to almost double by 2045. This study seeks to identify risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR) amongst patients with type 2 diabetes at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH)/LIONS Diabetes Centre. This is to help in patients’ education and awareness of these risk factors as well as assist in the planning for improved management approaches. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with DM, 21 years and above receiving treatment for DM at the UCTH/LIONS Diabetes Centre. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows (version 20, SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Two by Two contingency tables were used to analyze categorical variables and the Chi-square test was used as the test for significance. Assessment of the relationship between DR and the risk factors was done using the Pearson’s Correlation technique. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors independently associated with DR. P value < 0.05 was considered Statistically Significant. Results: A total of 200 persons living with DM were screened for DR. The prevalence of DR was 26.5%. Using logistic regression analysis, it was shown that the presence of DR found independent associations with a duration of diabetes greater than 10 years (P < 0.002) and concomitant hypertension (P = 0.034). Conclusion: Duration of DM and systemic hypertension were major nonmodifiable and modifiable risk factors for the development of DR. These findings underline the need for physicians caring for patients with DM and people living with DM to be aware of these risk factors to have regular and prompt DR screening to lower the burden from this retinopathy and reduce the risk of visual impairment and blindness.