Diabetic retinopathy in women attended to at the “Ernesto Guevara de la Serna” Hospital

Abstract

Background: diabetic retinopathy is a progressive chronic disease that potentially threatens the retinal microvasculature, associated with prolonged hyperglycemia and diabetes duration.Objective: to characterize the diabetic retinopathy in women attended to at the retina department of the ophthalmological center of the “Dr. Ernesto Guevara de la Serna” Hospital, Las Tunas, from January 2014 to December 2016.Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out with 54 women aged 20 years and older and with fundoscopic modifications suggesting diabetic retinopathy. The patients were referred to the aforementioned institution and during the period herein declared. The following variables were assessed: age groups, associated risk factors, stages and progress of the condition and associated ophthalmological manifestations. The data were processed by using descriptive statistics.Results: the 50 to 59 age group was the one mostly represented (34 %), women younger than 40 years of age represented 25 %. The inadequate control of glycemia in the totality of the patients, hypertension (77,8 %) and pregnancy (74,07 %) were the most frequent associated risk factors. Among the eye risk factors myopia had the highest incidence (18,52 %), followed by cataract surgery (16,67 %). 81,44 % of the patients were in the nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy group, in spite of having less than 15 years of disease progress. Refractive disorders constituted the ophthalmological manifestation with the highest incidence.Conclusions: diabetic retinopathy in these patients was characterized, showing an early onset of the manifestations on fundoscopic examination.

Keywords

• retinopathy diabetic
• women, diabetic retinopathy
• risk factor
• fundus oculi