Impact of Age, Duration and Control of Diabetes on Risk of Diabetic Retinopathy among Sudanese Diabetic Patients in Khartoum, Sudan- 2016: Hospital based Cross-Sectional study

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders in which there is high blood sugar level over a prolonged period. It occurs either when insufficient insulin is produced by the pancreas or the body cells not responding properly to the insulin it produces. Diabetic Retinopathy is one of the major complications of Diabetes that may lead to permanent blindness. This study aimed to reveal the impact of age, duration and control of Diabetes on risk of Diabetic Retinopathy for the purpose of prevention and control of this disorder. This was a hospital based cross- sectional study conducted among 251 participants in the period between February and April 2016. Data were collected using a closed ended, adjusted and administered questionnaire and then were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.0.0. The study was estimated at 95% confidence level. 36% of the study group age was between 55-64 years. The majority have had diabetes for more than 20 years (28%) with 44% of them were with poor diabetes control. Diabetic patients of age between 55 and 64 were more affected with diabetic retinopathy. The study revealed that longer duration and poor control of diabetes were strongly associated with diabetic retinopathy.