Study of HbA1C levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in relation to diabetic retinopathy in Indian population

Background: In the recent years diabetes mellitus (DM) has emerged as a major public health problem worldwide with potential to develop vascular and neuropathic complications. HbA1c has got an important role in monitoring the treatment and risk of developing micro and macrovascular complications. Present study is done to determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in association with raise in HbA1c and also to correlate the severity of Diabetic retinopathy with the levels of HbA1c. Methods: In this descriptive observational study 50 diabetes mellitus patients with visual disturbances who attended the Department of General medicine and Department of Ophthalmology between January 2012 to December 2012 at Vydehi institute of medical sciences and research centre are selected. All the patients were subjected to the relevant investigations along with dilated retinal examination and slit lamp examination. The results were tabulated according to the severity of retinopathy and other clinical variables. Results: In this study majority of the patient were in the age group of 61-70 years and 68% were male patients. Mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 9.8±5.34 years. Also 54% of them had coexisting hypertension. Present study showed the presence of diabetic retinopathy in 64% of patients, out of which 24% of them had mild DR and 14% had moderate DR. Conclusions: Present study showed as the HbA1c level increases severity of the diabetic retinopathy also increases. And also, patients who had microalbuminuria and longer the duration of diabetes higher the chances of microvascular complications. Hence HbA1c can be used as a useful tool to assess the long-term control of diabetes mellitus and hence the development of diabetic retinopathy.