RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DURATION OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND TYPE OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY IN OUTPATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common type of diabetes. Chronic hyperglycemia in T2DM can damage blood vessels, causing both macroangiopathy and microangiopathy. Microvascular complications tend to develop more rapidly and are more common than macrovascular complications, and diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most frequent microvascular complications. The duration of diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered a risk factor for DR because it determines how long the retina is exposed to hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and endothelial damage. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the duration of T2DM and the type of diabetic retinopathy in patients at Sultan Agung Islamic Hospital, Semarang. This was an analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 54 T2DM patients with DR, selected by consecutive sampling and divided into three groups by DM duration: <5 years, 5–10 years, and >10 years. DR type was classified as non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Data were analyzed using the Chi-Square test. The results showed that most subjects had PDR (68.5%), while 31.5% had NPDR. The Chi-Square test showed no significant relationship between T2DM duration and DR type (p = 0.709; Cramer's V = 0.113). Analysis of other factors showed that hypertension was significantly associated with DR type (p < 0.001; Phi = 0.523). The proportion of PDR was 87.9% in hypertensive patients, compared with 38.1% in patients without hypertension. Sex, age, smoking, and body mass index were not associated with DR type (p > 0.05). In conclusion, there was no significant relationship between the duration of T2DM and diabetic retinopathy in patients at Sultan Agung Islamic Hospital, Semarang, whereas hypertension was significantly associated with the type of diabetic retinopathy.