[The blood-retina barrier and blood-aqueous humor barrier in type I diabetic patients without retinopathy. Determination of permeability using fluorophotometry and laser flare measurements].
BACKGROUND
Possibly early functional disruption of the blood-ocular barrier in eyes of insulin dependent type I diabetics without manifestation of retinopathy can be detected using fluorophotometry and laser flare measurement.


METHODS
In order to evaluate blood-retinal (BRB) and blood-aqueous-barrier (BAB) permeability fluorophotometry was performed in 34 eyes of 34 insulin-dependent type-I diabetics without retinopathy, additionally the aqueous laser flare was measured. 34 normal eyes of 34 age-matched subjects served as controls.


RESULTS
BRB permeability (3.2 +/- 1.3 x 10(-7) cm/s) was increased with low significance (p = 0.019) in diabetic eyes (controls: 2.6 +/- 0.7). The permeability coefficient of BAB was found to be increased in diabetics (5.3 +/- 1.8 x 10(-4)/cm) with higher significance (controls: 3.7 +/- 0.7; p = 0.00003); laser flare values in diabetic eyes (5.0 +/- 1.2 photon counts/ms) were significantly higher than in controls (4.1 +/- 1.0; p = 0.003). In diabetics there was a significant correlation (r = 0.3; p = 0.014) between the laser flare values and the permeability coefficient of BAB.


CONCLUSIONS
In type-I diabetics without retinopathy BRB permeability seems to be increased slightly as well as laser flare in the aqueous; the BAB permeability coefficient seems to be the most sensitive parameter in a beginning affection of the blood-ocular barrier.
Schalnus
R
R
Zentrum der Augenheilkunde, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main.
Ohrloff
C
C
D000328:Adult; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000502:physiology*; D001813:Blood-Retinal Barrier / Q000502:physiology*; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000502:physiology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism*
D012709:Serum Albumin
Blut-Retina-Schranke und Blut-Kammerwasser-Schranke bei Typ I-Diabetikern ohne Retinopathie. Bestimmung der Permeabilität mittels Fluorophotometrie und Laser Flare Messung.