ABSTRACT
Objectives: diabetic eye disease is the most common cause of visual loss in adults, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy [PDR] is the main cause of blindness. This study aimed to determine the predisposing factors for PDR that were identified by fundus photography among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus [DM] at the Diabetic Clinic at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia
Methods: in this retrospective study, fundus photo review was performed on patients with type 2 DM who had undergone diabetic retinopathy screening using a nonmydriatic fundus camera from January 2008 until December 2012. Fundus photos were classified into 2 groups, PDR and no apparent diabetic retinopathy [no DR]. Socio-demographic data and clinical and metabolic profiles were obtained from the medical records. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with PDR
Results: a total of 120 patients were selected, with 30 patients in the PDR group and 90 patients in the no DR group. The mean age of patients with PDR was 52 [7.94] years and was 58 [12.31] years in the no DR group. Hypertension and hyperlipidaemia were the most common comorbidities identified in this study. The HbA1c level >6.5% and LDL level >2.6 mmol/L were higher in the PDR group. Age [p = 0.032], duration of DM [p = 0.022], nephropathy [p = 0.002] and peripheral neuropathy [p= 0.001] were significantly associated with PDR
Conclusion: the significant predictors of PDR among patients with type 2 DM as detected by fundus photography were age, duration of DM, nephropathy and peripheral neuropathy