Periodic Blood Glucose Test and Its Relationship with Diabetic Retinopathy among Patients with Diabetes in a Tertiary Ophthalmic Centre
You Chuen Chin
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, 90 Yishun Central, 768828, Singapore and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, 119228, Singapore
Srinivasan Sanjay *
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, 90 Yishun Central, 768828, Singapore and Eye Clinic, Jurong Medical Centre, 60 Jurong West Central 3, 648346, Singapore
Ee Lin Ong
Department of Ophthalmology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, 308433, Singapore
Sun Yan
Health Services Outcome Research, GMTI Building, 6 Common Wealth Lane, #04-01/02, 149547, Singapore
Kah Guan Au Eong
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, 90 Yishun Central, 768828, Singapore and Singapore International Eye Cataract Retina Centre, Singapore International Eye Cataract Retina Centre, 3 Mount Elizabeth #07-04, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre 228510, Singapore
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: To assess the awareness of periodic blood glucose test and its relationship with diabetic retinopathy among adult diabetic patients attending a tertiary ophthalmic centre.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Alexandra Hospital, between January and February 2007.
Methodology: An interviewer-administered survey was administered to 506 participants with diabetes mellitus, aged 23 to 88 years old (mean: 62.1 years).
Results: Only 296 (58.5%) participants were aware of the relationship between periodic blood glucose test and diabetic retinopathy. Participants who were Indians (p=.01) or had a highest education level of primary school (p=.04) were less aware. However, participants with higher education had higher awareness (p=.01). The age- and gender-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of having diabetic retinopathy was 0.54 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38-0.78, p=.001). On multivariate adjustment, results remained statistically significant (OR: 0.49, CI: 0.31-0.77, p=.002).
Conclusion: Periodic blood glucose test awareness is lower in Indians and those who were less educated. Participants were who aware of periodic blood glucose test were less likely to have diabetic retinopathy.
Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy, blood glucose test, awareness, Singapore