[Prognostic significance of retinal microaneurysm number and localization in type-1 diabetes mellitus]

The authors studied whether central retinal microaneurysm count predicts further progression of background retinopathy in juvenile onset type-1 diabetes mellitus. 94 patients (49 females and 45 males) were followed up longitudinally (8-17.5, mean 10 years) by evaluating fluorescein angiograms. Age at last examination was 17-32 years (mean age 22.4 years) and duration of diabetes was 8-22 years (mean duration 13.7 years). Microaneurysm counts and location were determined with the help of a grid consisting of three concentring circles and four radial lines (nine subfields) centered for the macula. 82% of the all microaneurysms were found inside the circle with 1500 micron radius. Participants were divided into three groups: those with no microaneurysms (1st group, n = 28) and those with 1-4 (2nd group, n = 35) and those with 5 or more microaneurysms (3rd group, n = 31) in the central circle with 600 micron radius at least one time during the whole follow up. Background retinopathy was found in 3 of 28 cases (approximately 10%) in the first group, 8 of 35 (approximately 23%) in the second group and in all the 31 patients (100%) in the third group. Proliferative retinopathy was found in the third group only. The authors suggest that the appearance of 5 or more microaneurysms in the macular area in type-1 diabetes mellitus may be sensitive indicator of the development of severe background and proliferative retinopathy. Study describes the importance of central microaneurysm count predicting further progression of background retinopathy could not be found in the available literature.