[Objective structural and functional monitoring of polypeptide retinal neuroprotective therapy in diabetic...

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the contribution of neuroretinal degeneration to the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR), preceding the classic vascular changes associated with DR.

This study evaluated the impact of the polypeptide drug Retinalamin on the structural and functional condition of the retina in patients with DR using optical coherence tomography (OCT) (Topcon OCT 2000 FA, Japan) and the Diopsys Nova vision testing system for electrophysiological studies of the visual organ.

The clinical study included 56 patients (112 eyes) with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and DR without macular edema. Of these, 28 patients (56 eyes) comprised the main group receiving intramuscular Retinalamin. The control group consisted of 28 patients (56 eyes) who did not receive Retinalamin treatment. The thickness of the ganglion cell complex was analyzed by OCT imaging performed on the Topcon OCT 2000 FA. Electrophysiological studies of the visual organ were conducted using the Diopsys Nova vision testing system, following the Diopsys PERG24 (pattern ERG) and Diopsys ffERG/Multi-Luminance Flicker (full-field ERG, or flash ERG) protocols.

The study demonstrated convincing objective evidence of positive changes in the main observation group.

The emergence of two pathogenetically oriented neurodegenerative vectors of DR, involving both the inner and outer retina, significantly expands our understanding of this diabetic complication. This includes the potential for retinal neuroprotective treatment with peptide bioregulators in clinical practice, especially in the early stages of DR.