This study aims to determine the risk factors associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) among natives and non-natives Sarawakians who were seen at 3 public hospitals and one health clinic in Sarawak. It is a cross sectional study where data on patients with DM were collected by staff at these healthcare facilities and entered into the web-based Diabetic Eye Registry. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to determine the association factors for DR. DR was significantly less associated with natives (24.4%) compared to non-native Sarawakians (34.1%) (p < 0.001). The odds of getting DR was higher in patients whose duration of DM was more than 20 years (OR = 2.6), who have renal impairment (OR = 1.7) and non-natives (OR = 1.4).
Purpose: Our purpose was to examine the relationship of retinal vascular parameters with diabetes and retinopathy in an older Asian population.
Methods: Retinal photographs from participants of a population-based survey of Asian Malay persons aged 40-80 years were analyzed. Specific retinal vascular parameters (tortuosity, branching angle, fractal dimension, and caliber) were measured using a semiautomated computer-based program. Diabetes was defined as random plasma glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/liter, the use of diabetes medication, or physician-diagnosed diabetes. Retinopathy signs were graded from photographs using the modified Airlie House classification system.
Results: A total of 2735 persons were included in the study. Persons with diabetes (n = 594) were more likely to have straighter (less tortuous) arterioles and wider arteriolar and venular caliber than those without diabetes (n = 2141). Among subjects with diabetes, those with retinopathy had wider venular caliber than those without retinopathy (211.3 versus 204.9 mm, p = .001). Among nondiabetic subjects, however, those with retinopathy had more tortuous venules than those without retinopathy [5.19(×10(4)) versus 4.27(×10(4)), p < .001].
Conclusions: Retinal vascular parameters varied by diabetes and retinopathy status in this older Asian cohort. Our findings suggest that subtle alterations in retinal vascular architecture are influenced by diabetes.