Retinal function in relation to improved glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes

TY - JOUR

T1 - Retinal function in relation to improved glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes

AU - Holfort, S K

AU - Nørgaard, K

AU - Jackson, George

AU - Hommel, E

AU - Madsbad, S

AU - Munch, I C

AU - Klemp, K

AU - Sander, B

AU - Larsen, M

PY - 2011/7

Y1 - 2011/7

N2 - Aims/hypothesis: To study long-term changes in retinal function in response to sustained glycaemia reduction in participants with type 1 diabetes. Methods: Prospective study using objective measures of retinal function in 17 participants with type 1 diabetes mellitus and minimal to moderate retinopathy who switched from conventional subcutaneous injection to continuous subcutaneous infusion of insulin (CSII). Results: Glycated haemoglobin HbA1c gradually decreased from 9.1% at baseline before CSII to 7.4% after 1 year on CSII. Glycaemia was markedly reduced within 1 week after initiation of CSII and remained stable thereafter. Dark adaptation and retinal electroretinographic function at 1, 4 and 16 weeks after initiation of CSII were comparable with baseline values, whereas a significant improvement in rod photoreceptor dark adaptation and dark-adapted b-wave amplitudes were seen after 52 weeks (time to rod-cone break -25% [p < 0.0001], time to a standardised rod intercept -13% [p < 0.0001], dark-adapted rod b-wave full-field amplitude +15% [p = 0.0125], standard combined rod-cone b-wave amplitude +8% [p = 0.049]). No detectable change was observed in cone adaptation, electroretinographic cone function or retinopathy. Conclusions/interpretation: After initiation of CSII, the retinal visual pathway of the rods improved with a delay of more than 4 months, over a time scale comparable with the duration of the diabetic retinopathy early worsening response to sustained glycaemia reduction. This indicates that glycaemia has a long-term effect on the disposition of functional capacity in the retinal visual pathway of rod photoreceptors, the cells that appear to be driving the development of diabetic retinopathy.

AB - Aims/hypothesis: To study long-term changes in retinal function in response to sustained glycaemia reduction in participants with type 1 diabetes. Methods: Prospective study using objective measures of retinal function in 17 participants with type 1 diabetes mellitus and minimal to moderate retinopathy who switched from conventional subcutaneous injection to continuous subcutaneous infusion of insulin (CSII). Results: Glycated haemoglobin HbA1c gradually decreased from 9.1% at baseline before CSII to 7.4% after 1 year on CSII. Glycaemia was markedly reduced within 1 week after initiation of CSII and remained stable thereafter. Dark adaptation and retinal electroretinographic function at 1, 4 and 16 weeks after initiation of CSII were comparable with baseline values, whereas a significant improvement in rod photoreceptor dark adaptation and dark-adapted b-wave amplitudes were seen after 52 weeks (time to rod-cone break -25% [p < 0.0001], time to a standardised rod intercept -13% [p < 0.0001], dark-adapted rod b-wave full-field amplitude +15% [p = 0.0125], standard combined rod-cone b-wave amplitude +8% [p = 0.049]). No detectable change was observed in cone adaptation, electroretinographic cone function or retinopathy. Conclusions/interpretation: After initiation of CSII, the retinal visual pathway of the rods improved with a delay of more than 4 months, over a time scale comparable with the duration of the diabetic retinopathy early worsening response to sustained glycaemia reduction. This indicates that glycaemia has a long-term effect on the disposition of functional capacity in the retinal visual pathway of rod photoreceptors, the cells that appear to be driving the development of diabetic retinopathy.

U2 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00125-011-2149-x

DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00125-011-2149-x

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0012-186X

VL - 54

SP - 1853

EP - 1861

JO - Diabetologia

JF - Diabetologia

IS - 7

ER -