CORRELATION BETWEEN INTER ARM BLOOD PRESSURE DIFFERENCE AND DIABETIC RETINOPATHY IN DIABETES PATIENT

Objectives- To estimate the difference in inter arm blood pressure in diabetes patient and to establish the association between the inter arm blood pressure difference in diabetes patient with diabetic retinopathy. Design: observational study Setting: Conducted in the Department of General Medicine at Sri Devaraj Urs medical college, Kolar, Karnataka. Subjects: 98 diabetic subjects were studied and were evaluated for inter arm blood pressure difference and diabetic retinopathy. Results: Out of 98 subjects diabetic retinopathy was present in 59(60.2%) subjects and remaining 39(39.8%) subjects didn't had diabetic retinopathy. 72(73.47%) subjects had difference in inter arm systolic blood pressure <10mmhg considered as group 1 and 26(26.53%) subjects had difference in inter arm systolic blood pressure >10mmhg considered as group 2. There was statistically significant difference found between two groups with respect to Severity of Diabetic retinopathy. Conclusion: Inter arm differences in systolic blood pressure are significantly associated with diabetic retinopathy and its severity.