Frequency of Peripheral Arterial Disease in Type-II Diabetic Patients presenting with Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

Background: Type-II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) often leads to Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), but the prevalence of coexisting Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) in these patients is unclear, creating controversy in existing literature. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the frequency of PAD in T2DM patients with DR, enhancing our understanding of diabetes-related complications. Objective: To determine frequency of peripheral arterial disease in T2DM patients presenting with diabetic retinopathy. Study Design: It was a cross sectional study. Settings: This study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, DHQ Teaching Hospital, KMU Institute of Medical Sciences, Kohat Pakistan. Duration: Six months from 05-01-2022 to 04-07-2022. Methods: A total 165 T2DM patients presenting with diabetic retinopathy and meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study after taking informed written consent. Ankle brachial pressure index was measured. Two blood pressure readings were taken 5 minutes apart and average was calculated for analysis. Peripheral arterial disease was labeled. SPSS version 26.0 was used for data analysis. Results: The mean age of the participants was 51.1±14.69. There were 63 (38.2%) females and 102 (61.8%) males. Mean BMI was 26.87±3.73 kg/m2. The mean duration of diabetes in the participants was 6.43±2.36 years. As regards type of retinopathy, 62 (37.6%) had Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR), and 103 (62.4%) had Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR). Mean Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABPI) among the participants was 1.01±0.25. Peripheral arterial disease was noticed in 28.5% of the T2DM patients presenting with diabetic retinopathy. Stratification of frequency of PAD for various sub groups of age, gender, BMI, duration of disease and type of retinopathy produced insignificant difference between sub groups (p-value>0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, our investigation of Type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy uncovers a significant 28.5% prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Stratification across age, gender, BMI, disease duration, and retinopathy type reveals no substantial differences. These results underscore the systemic nature of vascular complications, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive care strategies.