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. 2000 May;84(5):493–498. doi: 10.1136/bjo.84.5.493

Ocular haemodynamics and colour contrast sensitivity in patients with type 1 diabetes

O Findl 1, S Dallinger 1, B Rami 1, K Polak 1, E Schober 1, A Wedrich 1, E Ries 1, H Eichler 1, M Wolzt 1, L Schmetterer 1
PMCID: PMC1723479  PMID: 10781513

Abstract

BACKGROUND—There is evidence that altered ocular blood flow is involved in the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy. However, the nature of these perfusion abnormalities is still a matter of controversy. Ocular haemodynamics were characterised with two recently introduced methods.
METHODS—The cross sectional study was performed in 59 patients with type 1 diabetes with a diabetes duration between 12 and 17 years and an age less than 32 years and a group of 25 age matched healthy controls. Scanning laser Doppler flowmetry and laser interferometric measurement of fundus pulsation amplitude were used to assess retinal and pulsatile choroidal blood flow, respectively. In addition, colour contrast sensitivity along the tritan axis was determined.
RESULTS—Fundus pulsation amplitude, but not retinal blood flow, increased with the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Retinal blood flow was influenced by plasma glucose levels (r = 0.32), whereas fundus pulsation amplitude was associated with HbA1c (r = 0.30). In addition, a negative correlation between the colour contrast sensitivity along the tritan axis and retinal blood flow was observed.
CONCLUSIONS—The present study indicates that pulsatile choroidal blood flow increases with the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Increased retinal blood flow appears to be related to loss of colour sensitivity in patents with type 1 diabetes.



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Figure 1  .

Figure 1  

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Ocular haemodynamic variables in the different stages of diabetic retinopathy and in healthy controls. Retinopathy stages are given according to Modified Airlie House Classification (for definition see Table 1). Asterisks indicate significant differences between the different stages of retinopathy. (Flow= retinal blood flow, FPA = fundus pulsation amplitude, MFV = mean flow velocity, RI = resistive index). Data are presented as means (SD).

Figure 2  .

Figure 2  

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Linear correlation between retinal blood flow (flow) and glucose plasma levels (A) and HbA1c (B). The broken lines represent the 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 3  .

Figure 3  

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Linear correlation between fundus pulsation amplitude (FPA) and HbA1c. The broken lines represent the 95 % confidence intervals.

Figure 4  .

Figure 4  

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Linear correlation between retinal blood flow (flow) and threshold values from colour vision testing. The broken lines represent the 95 % confidence intervals.

Selected References

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