Prevalence and factors associated with hypercholesterolemia among patients with visual impairment at Ruharo Eye Center in Mbarara, Uganda

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Abstract Background: Hypercholesterolemia is characterized by elevated blood cholesterol level which can predispose one to atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Our research explored the occurrence and determinants of hypercholesterolemia among individuals with visual impairment at the Ruharo Eye Center in Mbarara, Uganda. Methods: We conducted a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study between June and August 2023 among patients who were visually impaired. Our outcome variable was defined as the visual acuity measured using a Snellen chart set at a distance of 6 meters. In a well-lit environment, participants underwent independent tests for each eye and for both eyes. Patients were deemed to have visual impairment if their better eye's visual acuity was less than 6/12. We recruited eligible participants using a convenience sampling method. A questionnaire was used collect sociodemographic data. Anthropometric measurements and cholesterol assessment were also done using appropriate tools. Using STATA version 17, data were cleaned and analyzed after being imported into Excel. We conducted a logistic regression analysis and used the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at a 95% confidence interval to present our findings. Spearman rank correlation was used to measure the correlation between visual impairment and hypercholesterolemia. Results: A total of 236 participants, diagnosed with visual impairment were recruited into the study. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was 20.34 %( 95% C.I 15.66 - 25.99%). Alcohol intake (AOR = 0.34 (95%CI 0.14-0.85), family history of hypercholesterolemia (AOR=3.69 95%CI 1.13-12.04), chronic condition (AOR=5.00 95%CI 1.77-14.14), Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (AOR 3.17 95%CI 1.13-8.83) were the only factors with significant association with hypercholesterolemia. There was no significant correlation between hypercholesterolemia and visual impairment. Conclusion: One in five visually impaired patients had hypercholesterolemia in this study. Chronic alcohol consumption, having chronic diseases and a deranged systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as a familial history of hypercholesterolemia significantly contributed to the chances of a hypercholesterolemia diagnosis in this study population.

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