OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH TO ASSESS THE ASSOCIATION OF HbA1c LEVELS WITH DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of HbA1c levels with diabetic retinopathy.
Methods: The present study was conducted in the Department of ophthalmology for 1 year after taking the approval of the protocol review committee and institutional ethics committee. 200 patients were included in the present study.
Results: There were 120 males and 80 females in our study group, revealing a male predominance in our recruited study population. The mean age of participants in this study was 62.08 ± 7.20 and out of the 200 participants. The mean age of 100 patients at diagnosis
was 48.4± 6.32 and mean duration of diabetic age was 16.32 ± 6.90. The mean of Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in the study population was 8.90 ± 1.88. The present study constituted 10% mild NPDR, 20% moderate NPDR, 45% severe NPDR, 20% PDR and
5% high risk PDR. Out of 100 retinopathy patients studied severe and very severe NPDR accounted for nearly half the patients while the other half consisted of early PDR, mild and moderate NPDR, the latter being higher than the former.
Conclusion: The value of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) showed an increasing trend as severity of diabetic retinopathy increases. The poor metabolic control as demonstrated by high HbA1c is significantly associated with severity of retinopathy and presence of CSME.