Abstract

STUDY OF THE RISK FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RETINOPATHY IN TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT FAMILY HISTORY

Pushpalatha M*, Gilsa E S., Sajna M V and Sunitha S. Nair

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common and specific complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).[1-3] It is estimated that almost half of the patients with T2DM have some degree of retinopathy at any given time and 75 % of T2DM develop DR after 15 year duration of diabetes.[4,5] Even though visual morbidity from diabetes is a significant public health problem, this is largely preventable and treatable if managed with timely intervention, and thus the quality of life can be preserved. Hence it is important to precisely identify the risk factors for the development and progression of DR. Though risk factors of DR such as duration of diabetes, glycemic control, hypertension and dyslipidemia are extensively studied, other incompletely defined factors also may be involved in the development of complications because many people with long standing diabetes never develop any complications like nephropathy or retinopathy.[5] A few previous studies in the Western population investigated the role of heredity in the development and progression of DR.[6] Very few data are available from the Indian subcontinent.[7] This study examined the role of family history in the prevalence and severity of DR and, analysed whether there is any difference in the risk factor pattern like hyperglycemia, Hb A1C, microalbuminuria, dyslipidemia and obesity in patients with DR in relation to family history.

Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy, family history, microalbuminuria, hyperglycemia, HbA1C, dyslipidemia, obesity.