[Acute panendothelial retinal leakage in juvenile diabetes (author's transl)]

Four cases of acute panendothelial retinal leakage in juvenile diabetes are presented. One patient showed acute disc swelling mimicking optic disc new vessels, one had acute cystoid maculopathy, two had both diffuse retinal leakage and optic disc edema. Acute disc swelling and acute cystoid maculopathy in juvenile diabetes are probably variations of the same clinical entity. Acute endothelial leakage can involve either the epipapillary and peripapillary radial capillaries (acute disc swelling), the retinal capillaries of the posterior pole (acute cystoid maculopathy), or the entire epipapillary and retinal capillary network (diffuse panendothelial retinal leakage). Photocoagulation treatment is not indicated in the management of this specific clinical entity. In fact, acute panendothelial retinal leakage in juvenile diabetes seems to be related to poor blood sugar control. In 3 cases the"spontaneous" favorable course of the disease was probably related to the modification of insulin dosage after discovery of the ocular disease.