FREQUENCY OF MICROALBUMINURIA IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Abstract

Background; The magnitude of damage caused by these microvascular complications of diabetes stresses the need for sensitive markers of screening for retinopathy and nephropathy. This study was done to determine the frequency of microalbuminuria in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Material and methods; A total of 300 patients’ type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy presenting in Diabetes OPD of Nishtar Hospital, Multan were selected. After taking informed written consent, all patients underwent retinal imaging using Non Mydriatic Fundus Camera (NIDEK^® Model # AFC-330). Urine sample of each patient was sent to the institute pathology laboratory for measuring albumin / creatinine ratio. Grades of retinopathy and microalbuminuria. Collected Data was entered into SPSS version 17.0 and was analyzed through its statistical package. Results; Of these 300 study cases, 179 (59.7%) were male patients while 121 (40.3%) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 52.10 ± 5.65 years (with minimum age was 42 years while maximum age was 60 years).                 Most of our study cases were from poor socioeconomic background i.e. 170 (56.7%) while only 13.3 % belonged to the higher socio-economic status. Majority of our study cases were having low educational level such as illiterate i.e. 60 (20%), primary education in 71 (23.7%) while only 3 % had bachelors degree or above. Mean duration of diabetes was 14.18 ± 2.73 years (with minimum duration of disease was 10 years while 19 years was maximum duration of the disease). Among these patients Grade III diabetic retinopathy was more prevalent i.e. 149 (49.7%) followed by grade IV retinopathy i.e. 100 (33.3%). Diabetes was controlled in only 81 (27%) of our study cases and obesity was present in 101 (33.7%) of our study cases. Microalbuminuria was present in 121 (40.3%) of our study cases.

Conclusion; Very high frequencies of microalbuminuria were noted in patients with diabetic retinopathy in our study. Microalbuminuria was significantly associated with female gender, increasing age, socio-economic status, low educational level, disease severity, disease duration and obesity. Microalbuminuria was not associated with control of diabetes.

Keywords; Microalbuminuria, Diabetic Retinopathy, Frequency.