Association of peripheral neuropathy with retinopathy in diabetic patients

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus one of the major cause of avoidable blindness where patients with diabetic retinopathy are 25 times more likely to become blind than the non diabetic. Diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy being the major microvascular complications of diabetes, the aim of this study is to determine the association of retinopathy with peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: Study included diabetic patients with age more than 35years of age with a total number of 150 patients attending ophthalmology outpatient department of Saveetha medical college and Hospital. They underwent a detailed ocular examination and fundus examination to know the prevalence and severity of diabetic retinopathy. Peripheral neuropathy was assessed by doing a nerve conduction velocity of peripheral nerves in all patients. The results were evaluated to ascertain the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and to establish an association with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Results: Among the study population the mean age of the patients was 58+/-8.5 and males were affected more than females. The occurrence of complications increased with an increase in HbA 1c values. The prevalence of diabetic neruropathy was 72% and diabetic retinopathy was 44%. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy was 51% which was 1.75 times more than without diabetic neuropathy (29%). This helps us to know the magnitude of problem of diabetic retinopathy and to timely treat it.