title: Prevalence and risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in rural India. Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetic Study III (SN-DREAMS III), report no 2.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study was aimed at estimating the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy in a rural population of South India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  13 079 participants were enumerated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multistage cluster sampling method was used. All eligible participants underwent comprehensive eye examination. The fundi of all patients were photographed using 45°, four-field stereoscopic digital photography, and an additional 30° seven-field stereo digital pairs were taken for participants with diabetic retinopathy. The diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy was based on Klein's classification.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy and associated risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of diabetes in the rural Indian population was 10.4% (95% CI 10.39% to 10.42%); the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, among patients with diabetes mellitus, was 10.3% (95% CI 8.53% to 11.97%). Statistically significant variables, on multivariate analysis, associated with increased risk of diabetic retinopathy were: gender (men at greater risk; OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.29), use of insulin (OR 3.59; 95% CI 1.41 to 9.14), longer duration of diabetes (15 years; OR 6.01; 95% CI 2.63 to 13.75), systolic hypertension (OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.20 to 3.82), and participants with poor glycemic control (OR 3.37; 95% CI 2.13 to 5.34).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nearly 1 of 10 individuals in rural South India, above the age of 40 years, showed evidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Likewise, among participants with diabetes, the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was around 10%; the strongest predictor being the duration of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services , Sankara Nethralaya , Chennai, Tamil Nadu , India.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raman
authors.affiliation: Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services , Sankara Nethralaya , Chennai, Tamil Nadu , India.
authors.forename: Suganeswari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganesan
authors.affiliation: Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services , Sankara Nethralaya , Chennai, Tamil Nadu , India.
authors.forename: Swakshyar Saumya
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Ophthalmology , Sankara Nethralaya , Chennai, Tamil Nadu , India.
authors.forename: Vaitheeswaran
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kulothungan
authors.affiliation: Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Services , Sankara Nethralaya , Chennai, Tamil Nadu , India.
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sharma
keywords: Incidence; Retinopathy