Fluorescein transport through the blood-aqueous and blood-retinal barriers in diabetic macular edema.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the integrity of the blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) and the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) in diabetic patients with clinically significant macular edema (CSME).


METHODS
The rate constant (Kd(F)) of the BAB and the permeability of the blood-retinal barrier for non-protein bound fluorescein were determined simultaneously by fluorometry. Results were analysed pairwise in diabetic patients (n = 25) with CSME in one eye and without CSME in the other eye.


RESULTS
Kd(F) for the eyes with CSME was significantly increased compared to eyes without CSME (444. 10(-6) min( -1) and 387. 10(-6) min(-1) respectively, p = 0.01). The passive permeability of the BRB was also significantly increased in CSME (5.7 nm/sec and 3.5 nm/sec respectively, p = 0.009, n = 19).


CONCLUSIONS
Both the rate constant of the BAB and the BRB permeability were significantly increased in CSME indicating that eye-specific factors are common for both barriers in diabetic patients with CSME.
Sander
Birgit
B
Department of Ophthalmology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark. bsander@idea.dk
Best
Jaap
J
Johansen
Sven
S
Kessel
Line
L
Moldow
Birgitte
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018916:Blood-Aqueous Barrier / Q000378:metabolism*; D001813:Blood-Retinal Barrier / Q000378:metabolism*; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004487:Edema / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea; D008875:Middle Aged; D014792:Visual Acuity
D003287:Contrast Media; D019793:Fluorescein