Diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes mellites at Prince Rashid Hospital

Abstract EN

Objectives : To study status of diabetic retinopathy and its correlation with duration and control of type- 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Settings : Prince Rashid Ibn Al-Hasan Military Hospital.

Irbid- Jordan Patients and Methods : This is a prospective study, in the period between July 2002 and May 2003, where 510 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending internal medicine clinics were evaluated for their diabetic retinopathy status.

Results : Two hundred and thirty five patients (46.1%) were found to have diabetic retinopathy.

Out of these, 45 patients (19.1%) had diabetes mellitus for five years or less, 82 patients (34.9 %) had it for between six and ten years and 108 patients (46 %) were having diabetes mellitus for more than 10 years.

Among those found to have diabetic retinopathy, only five patients (2.1 %) had a mean fasting blood sugar < 120-mg%.

Fifty-one patients (21.7 %) had a mean fasting blood sugar 120-180 mg %.

One hundred and twenty patients (51.1 %) had a mean fasting blood sugar of 181-250 mg%.

Fifty-nine patients (25.1 %) had a mean fasting blood sugar > 250 mg %.

Conclusion : This study shows the status of diabetic retinopathy and its strong correlation with the duration and poor control of diabetes mellitus at this hospital.

It also reflects the poor glycemic control of type 2 diabetes mellitus in this area.