A HOSPITAL-BASED STUDY ON THE INFLUENCE OF SYSTEMIC RISK FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CENTER-INVOLVING MACULAR EDEMA IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Abstract

Background: Diabetic retinopathy and center-involving diabetic macular edema are the major causes of vision loss in working age individuals, with macular edema resulting from fluid accumulation in the macula leading to increased retinal thickness and visual deterioration.

Objective: To determine the frequency of center-involving diabetic macular edema (Ci-DME) and evaluate its association with glycemic control and serum lipid profile among patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Material and Methods:  In this hospital-based analytical cross-sectional study, 200 eyes of 100 diabetic patients were investigated from March 2023 to October 2023 in KGN TH eye department Bannu, Pakistan. The patients were placed into two groups: (1) Ci-DME (DR and Ci-DME coexisting in one or both of the eyes) and group (2) Non-Ci-DME (DR present with or without DME but no Ci-DME in any of the eyes present).The levels of urine albumin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) (0.326), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG), and serum total cholesterol have been measured in both groups(>0.272).

Results: 40 (40%) of the 100 diabetic patients were diagnosed with ci-DME, of which 27 (67.27%) were male and 13(32.73%) were female in which high cholesterol level and insufficient glycemic control were significantly correlated. Additionally patients with ci-DME had lower levels of HDL (0.91p) and TG (0.93P), both of which are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Despite these distinctions, the differences in lipid levels between the two groups were not statistically significant in this investigation except low density lipoproteins.

Conclusion: Ci-DME is associated significantly with higher level of total cholesterol and poor glycemic control.