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Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Prediabetic Patients.
Arzu Bilen1, Orhan Ates2, Osman Ondas2
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ataturk School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
The Eurasian Journal of Medicine
|March 21, 2022
Summary
Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning is detectable in prediabetic individuals, indicating early retinal changes before significant vascular damage. This finding suggests RNFL assessment could aid in understanding the progression to diabetic retinopathy.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Endocrinology
- Diabetic Complications
Background:
- Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of blindness.
- Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) changes can precede clinical diagnosis in diabetes.
- Prediabetes is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for diabetic retinopathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate RNFL thickness in prediabetic patients.
- To identify early retinal changes associated with prediabetes.
- To compare RNFL thickness between prediabetic individuals and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 50 prediabetic patients and 50 healthy controls.
- Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was measured using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT).
- RNFL measurements were analyzed across different quadrants (inferior, superior, nasal, temporal).
Main Results:
- Significant RNFL thinning was observed in prediabetic patients compared to healthy controls across all measured quadrants (P < .001).
- Mean RNFL thickness in prediabetics was 94.7 ± 6.3 μm versus 98.9 ± 7.5 μm in controls.
- Specific quadrant thicknesses showed statistically significant differences between the groups.
Conclusions:
- RNFL thinning is an early indicator in prediabetes, potentially preceding overt vascular damage.
- Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) abnormalities in prediabetes are not limited to the temporal quadrant but affect all quadrants.
- These findings contribute to understanding the early pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.
