CLINICAL CORRELATION BETWEEN DIABETIC RETINOPATHY, DIABETIC NEUROPATHY AND GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS

Abstract

Background and Objective Diabetic retinopathy(DR) and Diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN) is the commonest complication which occur in diabetes mellitus. Both are microvascular complications and is said to share a common pathophysiology. It was noticed that the patients with either one may be missed by the treating doctor as both these complications are dealt by two different specialties. Hence, this study was undertaken to look for a clinical correlation between both DR and DPN and their relation to the glycemic inconsistency and the glycated hemoglobin levels. Methods This is a hospital based Cross-sectional observational study involving 156 attending the ophthalmology OPD and the in-patients department at R L Jalapa hospital attached to Devaraj Urs Medical College, Tamaka, Kolar from between December 2019 and May 2021. Results The DR severity in both the eyes was found to considerably increase with increase in duration of Type II DM among the patients (p<0.001). Similarly mean FBS and mean PPBS is seen to be significantly high amid patients with diabetic DPN compared to those without (p<0.001). The mean FBS and the mean PPBS were higher in the PDR group compared to other patients with DR (p<0.001). Proportion of patients with DPN was found to pointedly increase with increasing severity of DR in both eyes among the patients (p<0.001). A statistically significant association was seen to be present between DR and DPN. xv Conclusion and interpretation This study, demonstrated a positive correlation between severity of DR and existence of DPN and its relationship with the HbA1c variability. And it emphasized the need for a interdepartmental involvement for the complete evaluation and management.