Relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severity of diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Purpose: The negative effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on diabetes mellitus (DM) patients are known. For these reasons, we aimed to investigate the effect of COPD on the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DRP) in patients with DM. Materials and Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included one-hundred and fifty-six eyes of 156 patients with COPD and DM. Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the independent relationships between DRP and COPD, including adjusting for patients’ characteristics. Results: After adjustment for potential confounders, patients with low-level COPD were found to have less PDR and severe PDR. (RRR 0.01 95% CI 0.01-0.03, RRR 0.01 95% CI 0.01-0.08, respectively). Conclusion: The findings suggest an increased risk of DRP severity in patients with severe COPD. Ophthalmologists following these patients should consider the relationship between COPD and DRP.