title: Frequency of retinopathy among diabetics admitted in a teaching hospital of Lahore.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the blood vessels of the retina and leads to blindness. Although 4-8 million diabetics exist in Pakistan, very little work has been done on this complication of diabetes. The present study was undertaken to estimate the frequency of retinopathy among diabetics admitted in a teaching hospital of Lahore.
  
  
  METHODS
  Every patient of diabetes mellitus, admitted in departments of Medicine, Surgery, Ophthalmology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore between June 2001 and September 2001 was included in the study. After adequate mydriasis, detailed fundus examination using indirect ophthalmoscope was carried out to determine the presence of diabetic retinopathy and its type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 4414 admissions, 540 patients--340 females and 196 males were diabetics. Among 540 diabetics, 132 had Type-1 diabetes (24.4%) while 408 had Type-2 diabetes (75.6%). The duration of diabetes ranged from 10 to 12 years. The prevalence of diabetes among admitted patents was 12.2%. Among these 540 diabetics, 180 had diabetic retinopathy showing a prevalence of 33.3%. Non-proliferative retinopathy was present in 21.5% diabetics and proliferative retinopathy among 11.8% diabetics. The prevalence of retinopathy was significantly higher (P < 0.001) among males (42.8%) as compared to females (27.9%). The prevalence was similar (33.3%) among both Type-1 as well as Type-2 diabetes as well as similar to that reported from other countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since 33.3% of our diabetic population is suffering from retinopathy--a condition amenable to timely and cost-effective treatment, every diabetic should be made aware of the importance of regular ophthalmologic examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore. naeemsaigol@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Huma
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kayani
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rehan
authors.forename: Naeem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ullah
mesh_terms: D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence