RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To describe the main retinal alterations detected by non-mydriatic retinal camera screening and to evaluate factors related to referral to ophthalmology in a population at high cardiovascular risk in Palmira, Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study, which included 11,983 photographic imaging records of patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus from Gesencro's S.A.S. comprehensive chronic disease care program between 2018 and 2020. Risk factors associated to referral to ophthalmology were evaluated with logistic regression, and crude and adjusted ORs (odds ratios) were obtained. RESULTS: A total of 11,880 records were analyzed; 67.7±12years old, and 69.5% were women. Among the retinal alterations were patients with diabetic retinopathy classified as more than mild in 10% and gradeI hypertensive retinopathy in 54.9% right eye, 51.9% left eye. Macular edema was also identified. Only 2069 patients (17.4%) required referral to ophthalmology, and for imaging control 82.6%. In the multivariate analysis, the risk factors associated with the probability of being referred were male gender, age 60years and older, glycosylated hemoglobin out-of-target, advanced chronic kidney disease and the microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio moderate to severely elevated. CONCLUSION: This study makes it possible to determine the importance of screening with a non-mydriatic retinal camera in patients at high cardiovascular risk to detect retinal abnormalities and assess risk factors associated with referral to ophthalmology. Early documentation of ocular compromise in these patients could prevent and avoid visual impairment and blindness.
