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Electrophysiological studies in newly onset type 2 diabetes without visible vascular retinopathy

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the early alterations of retinal function, assessed with electrophysiology, in newly onset type 2 diabetes patients without vascular retinopathy. Seventeen patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (duration 7 ± 3 months), without any vascular retinopathy in fundus photographs, were examined with full-field electroretinogram (ERG) and multifocal ERG (mfERG). The results were compared with those of age-matched subjects without diabetes. In the dark-adapted full-field ERG, the a-wave and the 30-Hz flicker implicit times were delayed in diabetes patients compared to controls, P = 0.001 and P = 0.020. In the first-order kernel of the mfERG, the first positive wave, P1, was delayed in all areas measured. The electrophysiological examinations demonstrate early alterations of retinal function characterised by a delayed a-wave implicit time in the dark-adapted full-field ERG, representing the rod signalling, and alterations in the multifocal ERG reflecting cone and/or postreceptoral function.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Gorthon and Zoéga Foundations, the Committee for the Blind in Malmohus County, the Gyllenstierna Krapperup′s Foundation, the Swedish Medical Research Council and the Skane County Council′s Research and Development Foundation. The authors are grateful to Eva Steffert and Birgitta Teinvall for photographing and grading, and to Boel Nilsson and Ing Marie Holst for help with electrophysiological examinations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Helsingborg Hospital, Lund University, 251 87, Helsingborg, Sweden

    M. Tyrberg

  2. Department of Public Health and Community Medicine/Primary Health Care, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    U. Lindblad

  3. Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden

    A. Melander

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    M. Lövestam-Adrian, V. Ponjavic & S. Andréasson

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  1. M. Tyrberg
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  2. U. Lindblad
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  3. A. Melander
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  4. M. Lövestam-Adrian
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  5. V. Ponjavic
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  6. S. Andréasson
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Correspondence to M. Tyrberg.

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Tyrberg, M., Lindblad, U., Melander, A. et al. Electrophysiological studies in newly onset type 2 diabetes without visible vascular retinopathy. Doc Ophthalmol 123, 193–198 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-011-9298-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-011-9298-6

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