DIABETIC RETINOPATHY IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON PREVALENCE AND SPECTRUM

Abstract

leading cause of visual impairment. Despite the high prevalence of diabetes in Pakistan, local data on DR among newly diagnosed type 2 DM (T2DM) patients remain limited.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and morphological patterns of DR among newly diagnosed T2DM patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at the Department of Endocrinology, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, between January and October 2024. A total of 217 newly diagnosed T2DM patients aged 40–70 years were enrolled through non-probability consecutive sampling. Each participant underwent comprehensive metabolic and ophthalmologic assessment, and retinopathy was graded according to the Davis classification. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 30.

Results: Among 217 participants, 142 (65.5%) were male and 75 (34.5%) females, with a mean age of 52.12 ± 7.30 years. The overall prevalence of DR was 15.6% (n = 34). Background retinopathy was most common sub-type (67.65%), followed by pre-proliferative (20.60%) and proliferative DR (11.75%). The likelihood of DR increased with advancing age, BMI, elevated fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio levels.

Conclusion: DR is prevalent among newly diagnosed T2DM patients in Pakistan, often without symptoms. Early screening and timely intervention are essential to prevent progression to vision-threatening stages. These findings highlight the need for routine ophthalmologic screening at the time of diagnosis