title: Risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy among type 2 diabetes patients at teaching hospital in Malaysia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness in the United States and it is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults aged 20-74. It is estimated that about 20% of patients with type 2 DM have evidence of diabetic retinopathy at diagnosis with diabetes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of DR and to determine risk factors related to diabetic retinopathy among type 2 diabetes patients attending endocrinology clinics at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was observational prospective longitudinal follow-up study, the study was conducted with sample of 1077 type 2 diabetes mellitus outpatient recruited via attended the diabetes clinics at HUSM. Diagnosis of retinopathy is based on finding the diagnostic signs of retinopathy on eye exams by fundoscopy. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the independent variables that affect the development of retinopathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of retinopathy was 39.3%. It has been noticed from this study findings, that the progression of retinopathy is been influenced by five independent risk factors such as duration of diabetes, presence neuropathy, total cholesterol at second and third visit and createnine clearance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DR is highly prevalent among type 2 DM. The progression of retinopathy is been influenced by five independent risk factors such as duration of diabetes, presence neuropathy, total cholesterol at second and third visit and createnine clearance. DR is a serious diabetic complication and public health strategies are required in order to reduce its risk factors and decrease its prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmacy College, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: SALWASL2005@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Salwa Selim Ibrahim
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Abougalambou
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah Medical City, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ayman S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Abougalambou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Prevalence; Retinopathy; Risk factors; Type 2 diabetes mellitus