Retinal vessel response to flicker light in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and overweight or obesity.
It was the goal of the trial to assess cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus or overweight/obesity. All children and adolescents (n=77 [n=45 patients with diabetes mellitus, n=32 patients with overweight/obesity]) admitted to our hospital during the period from 01/07 to 31/08/2006 were included in the trial. Socio-demographic and laboratory data (age, sex, diabetes duration, BMI, BMI-SDS, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, oGTT in patients with overweight/obesity, lipids, CRP, TSH, creatinine, and microalbuminuria) were assessed. The diameter of a retinal arterial and a venous segment was measured continuously on-line with a Dynamic Vessel Analyzer, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured, and 24-h-blood pressure monitoring was applied.


RESULTS
Flicker light stimulation induces a comparable arterial dilatation in patients with type 1 diabetes and overweight/obesity. Univariate ANOVA in patients with type 1 diabetes shows an influence of diastolic blood pressure on arterial dilatation. Other factors such as BMI, age, diabetes duration, smoking, sex, HbA1c and insulin dose/kg had no effect.


CONCLUSIONS
In children and adolescents with diabetes or overweight/obesity retinal vascular alterations seem to be more sensitive and already present before the occurrence of classic cardiovascular markers.
Schiel
Ralf
R
MEDIGREIF-Inselklinik Heringsdorf GmbH, Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Setheweg 11, D-17424 Seeheilbad Heringsdorf, Germany. inselklinik.schiel@medigreif.de
Vilser
Walthard
W
Kovar
Felix
F
Kramer
Guido
G
Braun
Anke
A
Stein
Günter
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000419:Albuminuria; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000503:physiopathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014664:Vasodilation; D014792:Visual Acuity