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Memorias del Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (Mem. Inst. Investig. Cienc. Salud) is the official publication of the Institute of Research in Health Sciences (IICS) of the National University of Asunción (UNA), Paraguay. It publishes original scientific contributions in clinical medicine, biomedical research, microbiology, molecular biology, dentistry, nursing, nutrition, public health, health biotechnology, genetics, biochemistry, and related disciplines. Founded in 1983, the journal adopted its current name in 2002 and has been published exclusively online since 2015, incorporating XML article dissemination as of 2024. Since 2023, it operates under a continuous publication model. The journal accepts manuscripts in Spanish and English as original research articles, reviews, case studies, and brief communications. All content is available in open access, free of charge for authors and readers, under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, in accordance with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI). It is indexed in BVS, SciELO Paraguay, HINARI, LILACS, DOAJ, Latindex, MIAR, Dialnet, CiteFactor, Google Scholar, LivRe, BASE, EBSCO, and Web of Science – SciELO Citation Index. The journal is funded by IICS-UNA, supports the OAI-PMH protocol for metadata harvesting, and uses the LOCKSS system for digital preservation of its contents.

 
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Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and its association with hypertension and cataracts in patients treated at Fundación Visión, Central Department, Paraguay, 2024

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18004/mem.iics/1812-9528/2026.e24122605

Keywords:

Diabetic Retinopathy, diabetes mellitus, Type 2, Hypertension, Cataracts, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Paraguay

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in working-age adults. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of DR and its association with hypertension (HTN) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). A cross-sectional, analytical, observational study was conducted using a 2024 database from Fundación Visión, Paraguay. A total of 6,445 patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of DM were included. The variables analyzed were age, sex, origin, diagnosis of HTN, allergies, and ocular pathologies (DR, cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration). Statistical analysis was performed using Stata SE, applying descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and calculation of odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The general prevalence of DR was 27.51%, with a higher frequency in women (55.19%). The population's mean age was 64.56 ± 11.69 years. HTN was present in 72.92% of patients with DR, and cataracts in 52.62%. Both conditions showed a statistically significant association with DR (HTN: OR=1.8; 95% CI 1.5–2.0; cataracts: OR=1.3; 95% CI 1.1–1.4). In conclusion HTN and cataracts were significantly associated with the presence of DR. These findings highlight the importance of ophthalmological screening and comprehensive management of risk factors in patients with DM.

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References

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Published

2026-06-30

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Original Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Memorias del Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Duerksen Crespo, K. G., Escobar Gauto, M. P., Luces León, D. M. A., & Acosta de Hetter , M. E. (2026). Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and its association with hypertension and cataracts in patients treated at Fundación Visión, Central Department, Paraguay, 2024. Memorias Del Instituto De Investigaciones En Ciencias De La Salud, 24(1), e24122605. https://doi.org/10.18004/mem.iics/1812-9528/2026.e24122605