[Surveillance using vitreo-fluoro-photometry of diabetics treated with an insulin pump, without or with minimal retinopathy. Results after 3 years]. / Surveillance par vitréofluorophotométrie de diabétiques traités par pompe à insuline, avec rétinopathie absente ou minime. Résultats à 3 ans.

ABSTRACT

In order to appreciate quantitatively the effect of strict metabolic control obtained with continuous insulin infusion, we have carried out a clinical, angiographical and vitreofluorophotometrical follow-up during a mean period of 36 months, on 21 eyes of 11 patients treated with intraperitoneal insulin pump for brittle diabetes. Patients had no (5 patients) or minimal retinopathy (less than 10 microanevrysms, no exsudate or ischemic areas) (6 patients). At the same time, vitreous fluorophotometry was performed on one eye of 15 volunteer patients without any ocular or general pathology. Vitreous fluorophotometry measurements were made with the Fluorotron Master; after substraction of background autofluorescence, and spread function, results are expressed by the level of posterior vitreous penetration by fluorescein. Good metabolic control was achieved during the study (mean +/- S.D. glycemia = 1.47 g/l +/- 0.21, mean +/- S.D. HbA1 = 7.99% +/- 0.84). Final visual acuities were identical to initial ones, there was no angiographical evolution of the retinopathy, and final vitreous fluorophotometry data (OD = 4.19 10(-6)/mn +/- 0.44 S.E.M., OS = 3.28 10(-6)/mn +/- 0.51 S.E.M.) did not statistically differ from the initial data (OD = 3.88 10(-6)/mn +/- 0.49 S.E.M., OS = 4.08 10(-6)/mn +/- 0.64 S.E.M.). On the contrary, volunteers' measurements (2.15 10(-6)/mn +/- 0.26 S.E.M.) were significantly lower than initial (p less than 0.01) and final (p less than 0.05) diabetics' measurements. These results confirm the early breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier during diabetic disease, and would support the notion of a favorable effect of strict metabolic control on early stages of diabetic retinopathy.