title: Functional retinal impairment in type 1 diabetic patients without any signs of retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate functional and morphological retinal changes in the long-term follow-up in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) without any signs of retinal vasculopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Functional testing included Humphrey Matrix perimetry (30-2 threshold program) and white-on-white Humphrey perimetry (HFA, 30-2 SITA standard), while retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness was measured by scanning laser polarimetry with variable corneal birefringence compensator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 20 eyes of 20 subjects with DM1 were analysed. No changes of HFA mean deviation (MD: -2.20 ± 3.44 vs. -1.63 ± 2.47; p = 0.14) and pattern standard deviation (PSD: 2.50 ± 1.71 vs. 2.28 ± 1.36; p = 0.31), and Matrix MD (-1.06 ± 3.62 vs. -1.24 ± 2.99; p = 0.65) were found after 5 years. A significant change was found for Matrix PSD between baseline and the end of follow-up (2.76 ± 0.59 vs. 3.1 ± 0.68; p = 0.0078). RNFL parameters were not changed. A significant relationship was found between HbA1c levels and changes from baseline of Matrix PSD (R(2) 0.29, p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Progressive retinal functional impairment could be detected in DM1 subjects by frequency doubling perimetry before the onset of any overt retinal vasculopathy and functional impairment seems to be significantly related to glycaemic control.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione G.B. Bietti-IRCCS, Rome, Italy. criparra @ tin.it
authors.forename: Mariacristina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parravano
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oddone
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boccassini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Centofanti
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tanga
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cacciamani
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borboni
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001718:Birefringence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology; D057109:Scanning Laser Polarimetry; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human