To estimate the risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, serum lipids, serum urea, creatinine and urine albumin creatinine ratio have been measured in 45 diabetic patients (15 cases without diabetic complications, 15 cases with preproliferative diabetic retinopathy, 15 cases with proliferative diabetic retinopathy) and 15 healthy subjects. This study has tried to show the relation between aspirin therapy taken and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Levels of fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, urea, creatinine and urine albumin creatinine ratio were statistically higher in proliferative diabetic retinopathy compared to diabetics without complications and those with preproliferative diabetic retinopathy. The current study concluded that hyperglycemia, duration of diabetes > 9-10 years, hyperlipidemia, microalbuminurea and persons with diabetes who were on aspirin were significantly associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Whether these findings are a possible complication of aspirin intake or whether they reflect severe diabetes already present among patients on aspirin, needs further clinical studies.
