Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Project (SNDRP)
Diabetic retinopathy is emerging as one of the important causes of blindness in both developing and developed countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that, the number of adults with diabetes in the world would increase alarmingly: from 135million in 1995 to 300 million in 2025.
In India, this increase is expected to be the greatest; nearly 195% from 18 million in 1995 to 54 million in 2025.
Studies done by the ICMR in the early 1970’s had shown the prevalence of diabetes in India to be 2.5% in the urban population and 1.5% in the rural population. However recent reports have shown the prevalence to be in the range of 12 to 14% in the urban population. Of these patients with diabetes, over 20% are expected to be suffering from diabetic retinopathy. The prevalence of diabetes in the rural population is expected to be about 5%.
It is established that screening for diabetic retinopathy saves vision at a relatively low cost, and this cost is many times less than the disability payments provided to people who go blind in the absence of a screening program. Early detection of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy and treatment with laser therapy can prevent visual impairment and most patients can be saved from major visual loss.
To meet this challenging health-economic burden of society, Sankara Nethralaya has embarked a major screening, epidemiologic, and research project (SNDRP).
The Aim of project
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Awareness |
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Screening |
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Training |
PROJECT AREA
We would be screening the population living in the rural districts of Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Tiruvallur and Villupuram (shown in the map).
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Awareness Meeting
PART – I (June 29, 2003 to August 7, 2004 )
Completed Districts: Kancheepuram,Vellore ; Districts in progress:Thiruvannamalai, Chennai
| Diabetic Screening Camps |
Total |
| Total No. of Diabetic Screening Camps |
77 |
| General Population screened for diabetes mellitus |
25,313 |
| No. of Newly detected diabetics |
1,130/25,313 (4.46%) |
| No. of known diabetics |
4,345/25,313 (17.16%) |
| Total No. of Diabetic Patients detected |
5,475/25,313 (21.63%) |
| Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Camps |
Total |
| Total No. of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Camps |
51 |
| No. of Diabetic Patients underwent Dilated Eye exam |
7,770 |
| No. of newly detected Diabetics who underwent eye exam |
619/7770 |
| No. of DR patients in newly detected group |
36/619 |
| Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in newly detected diabetics |
5.8% |
| No. of known diabetics who underwent eye exam |
7,151/7770 |
| No. of DR patients in known diabetic group |
1,334/7,150 |
| Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in known diabetics |
18.65% |
| Total no. of Diabetic Retinopathy patients |
1370/7,770 |
| Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy |
17.60% |
PART – II (Aug 7, 2004 to Dec 31, 2004 )
| Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Camps |
Total |
| Total No. of Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Camps |
|
| No. of Diabetic Patients underwent Dilated Eye exam |
5,152 |
| No. of Diabetic Retinopathy patients |
878/5,152 |
| Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy |
17.04% |
Treatment
Laser : 777sittings
Surgery : 5 patients
Screening ----- Telescreening
| Only Ophthalmologist Chennai, Kanchipuram |
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| Ophthalmologist and teleophthalmology Vellore, Thiruvannamalai |
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| Teleophthalmology Villipuram |
KMC Camps
Target : Monthly 600
Till date : From Aug 2003
Total Camps : 46
Total Patients : 5656
Total DR patients : 1109 (19.61%)
Total Patients Treated : 366
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Kanchipuram
Total Camps :13
Total Patients :2487
Total DR :428 (17.2%)
Total Patients Treated: 119 |
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Vellore
Total Camps : 11
Total Patients : 2676
Total DR Patients : 443 (16.5%)
Total Treated Patients : 194 |
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Thiruvannamalai
Total Camps :9
Total Patients : 2277
Total DR Patients : 416(18.2%)
Total Patients Treated : 98 |
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Chennai
Total Camps : 49
Total Patients :5894
Total DR Patients :1133 (19.2%)
Total Patients Treated :441
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Awareness
DISTRIBUTION OF AWARENESS MATERIAL
Pamphlets
Door-to-Door enumeration
Auto announcement & Awareness campaign
MEETINGS
No. of Awareness meetings conducted - 160
No. of participants - 75,820
Tele KAP : 1250
Awareness KAP : 1310
Other Awareness methods
8 meetings/month ( 4 urban and 4 rural)
1 TV programme alternate month
Banners at Egmore station and St. Thomas mount
Scrolling message for Post office
Pocket calendars
Awareness rally in target districts : 2 till now
Training Programme
29th April 2004 at Chengalpet Medical College,Chengalpet – 43GP/
Physicians participated
Research Project
To estimate the Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy In India
Research Project : Genetic Risk factors
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To study the sequence variants : |
Receptor for Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE) gene
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene
Protein kinase C - ? gene
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene |
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| Used to identify the diabetic people at risk for developing retinopathy |
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Preventive Strategies |
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