Clinical profile and associated risk factors of diabetic retinopathy at a tertiary eye center in Brunei Darussalam

PURPOSE:The purpose of the study was to determine the proportion of diabetic retinopathy (DR) among individuals with type II diabetes mellitus (T2D) and its associated risk factors.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This was a retrospective analysis of 988 DR outpatients attending a tertiary eye center, Brunei Darussalam, between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.RESULTS:Eight hundred and fifty one patients (56.8 +/- 10.9 years) with a total of 1702 eyes were included. The relative proportion of nonproliferative DR (NPDR) (n = 985, 59.1%) was higher than proliferative DR (PDR) (n = 681, 40.9%), especially in females (32.8%) and Malays (53.4%). The largest DR age groups were NPDR 60-69 years (22.7%) and 50-59 years, with PDR (13.6%). The mean average risk factors between NPDR and PDR only showed marginal differences. The PDR group received more laser treatment (37.2%) than the NPDR group (15.0%). Using a multivariate logistic regression model, visual acuity (VA), measured by logMAR, was significantly associated with differentiating PDR from NPDR. For each single unit increase in logMAR, the risk of PDR increased by 3.58 times (95% confidence interval: 3.04-4.22).CONCLUSION:The relative prevalence of NPDR was higher than PDR; however, variables such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, duration of diabetes, weight, gender, and ethnicity were not strong determinants to differentiate between the two types. VA was associated with progression to PDR. This study highlights the need for early detection, regular screening, and patient education as preventive measures toward the progression of DR.