Short communication, Note
Quality of Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy in the Rijeka Region of Croatia
Karmen Lončarek
Igor Petriček
Ines Brajac
Tatjana Filipović
Zoran Vatavuk
Hrvoje Štalekar
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the quality of screening for diabetic retinopathy in cities of Rijeka and Zagreb,
Croatia. Review of a random sample of 500 diabetic patient records and prospective ophthalmologic survey of 466 randomly
selected diabetic patients in a secondary level diabetologic service in Rijeka (coastal region of Croatia). The
main outcome measures were proportion of diabetic patient records with notes on ophthalmologic examination; rate of
diabetic patients involved with screening for diabetic retinopathy; comparison with rates in Zagreb (Croatian capital).
A total of 67% patients visited the ophthalmologist at least once after diagnosed with diabetes, and notes on ophthalmologic
examination were found in only 28% patient records. Fifty percent of patients underwent an ophthalmologic
examination within two years. Only one third of patients diagnosed with DM in last two years visited the ophthalmologist
within this time, and 14% of patients older than 50 years never visited the ophthalmologist. Model of screening for diabetic
retinopathy in Croatia works better in Zagreb than in Rijeka region, and needs certain improvements. The authors
suggested modern methods of screening, the incorporation of the mechanisms of quality control, the obligatory reporting
of newly diagnosed diabetic patients to the national registry, and the direct referral from diabetologist to
ophthalmologist.
Keywords
diabetic retinopathy; screening; quality control
Hrčak ID:
27902
URI
Publication date:
20.6.2005.
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