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Pediatric Diabetic Retinopathy: Experience of a Tertiary Hospital in Oman
Puspalata Agroiya1, Abdul Hakeem Alrawahi2
1National Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, Royal Hospital, Seeb, Muscat, Oman.
Insights
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) affects 3.7% of Omani children with diabetes. Early detection through primary-level screening is crucial for managing this pediatric eye condition.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Endocrinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a significant complication of diabetes mellitus.
- Pediatric diabetes presents unique challenges for managing long-term complications like DR.
- Data on the prevalence and clinical profile of DR in Omani children is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Omani children and adolescents with diabetes.
- To describe the clinical characteristics of pediatric DR in this population.
- To identify risk factors associated with DR in Omani pediatric diabetic patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study analyzing records of 216 diabetic children.
- Retinal evaluation using direct ophthalmological examination and fundus photography.
- DR grading based on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study criteria.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) was found to be 3.7%.
- Mild (2.8%) and moderate (0.9%) nonproliferative DR were observed, along with 0.9% with diabetic maculopathy.
- DR was significantly associated with age, diabetes duration, Type 1 diabetes, dyslipidemia, microalbuminuria, and glycemic/lipid profiles.
Conclusions:
- This study reports a relatively low prevalence of DR and maculopathy in Omani pediatric diabetic patients.
- The findings highlight the importance of early detection and management of DR in children.
- Novel strategies for primary-level screening are recommended to enhance early DR detection in diabetic children.
Purpose:
The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence and clinical profile of pediatric diabetic retinopathy (DR) among Omani diabetic children and adolescents attending a tertiary care hospital.
Methods:
This retrospective cross-sectional study involved the record review of 216 diabetic children attending the diabetes retina clinic of the National Diabetes and Endocrine Centre in the period between June 2015 and November 2018. The retinal evaluation was conducted using direct ophthalmological examination and fundus photography. DR was graded using the Early Treatment DR Study criteria. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, version 20.
Results:
The prevalence of DR among the study sample was 3.7% (95% confidence interval: 1.2-6.2). Mild and moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy was seen in 2.8% (6) and 0.9% (2) of patients, respectively. Diabetic maculopathy was observed in 2 (0.9%) cases. Diabetic ketoacidosis was seen in 33.8% of children at presentation. DR was significantly associated with age (P = 0.01), duration (P < 0.001), Type 1 diabetes mellitus (P = 0.01), dyslipidemia (P = 0.005), microalbuminuria (P = 0.001), glycated hemoglobin (P = 0.003), total cholesterol (P = 0.001), high-density lipoproteins (P = 0.001), low-density lipoproteins (P < 0.001), and albumin/creatinine ratio (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
This is the first study describing DR among the pediatric age group in Oman. This study reveals a relatively low prevalence of DR and maculopathy among the pediatric diabetic population. However, novel strategies are to be adopted at primary levels to achieve timely screening of diabetic children to enhance the early detection of DR.
