Prevalence and risk factors of retinopathy in patients with or without metabolic syndrome: a population-based study in Shenyang

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MS) and the prevalence of retinopathy. DESIGN A cross-sectional study was carried out from August 2013 to September 2014 in Fengyutan Sub-District. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES A total of 1163 eligible participants attended. All the participants were subjected to stereo fundus photography to detect retinopathy. The discrepancy of prevalence of retinopathy in different participants was described. RESULTS The prevalence of retinopathy was 9.64% in patients with MS and 3.91% in patients without MS. A higher prevalence of retinopathy with proliferative diabetic retinopathy was found in patients with MS. In multiple logistic regression analysis, independent risk factors for any retinopathy in patients with MS were longer diabetes duration (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.10, per year increase), higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) (OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.29, per 10 mm Hg increase), higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.35, per 10 mm Hg increase), higher fasting plasma glucose (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.11, per 10 mg/dL increase), higher 2 h postprandial plasma glucose (OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.21, per 10 mg/dL increase), and higher haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.34, per % increase). Similar independent risk factors, except for DBP, were found for any retinopathy in patients without MS. CONCLUSIONS The presence of MS components, hyperglycaemia (fasting glucose and HbA1c) and hypertension (SBP and DBP), are significantly associated with the prevalence of retinopathy.