COLOR-VISION AND PERSISTENT MICROALBUMINURIA IN CHILDREN WITH TYPE-1 (INSULIN-DEPENDENT) DIABETES-MELLITUS - A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

In an attempt to elucidate colour vision in children with type 1 (insu lin-dependent) diabetes mellitus without fluorescein angiographic sign s of retinopathy, we studied a group of 50 patients of mean age +/- SD 10.27 +/- 2.89 (range 8.1-13.0 years). Results were compared with a s ex- and age-matched control group. The Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue test showed a significantly higher value in total error score (TES) in dia betics than in controls (64.07 +/- 18.32 and 54.27 +/- 12.87, respecti vely: P = 0.0004). Diabetic patients were divided in two groups as reg ards presence of persistent microalbuminuria and followed for 7 years. The HbA(1c) values of the two groups were: normoalbuminuric 7.10 +/- 2.92%, microalbuminuric 9.79 +/- 1.41 (P = 0.004). Microalbuminuric pa tients showed a significantly higher TES than normoalbuminuric subject s both at the beginning (94.79 +/- 13.98 vs. 58.10 +/- 11.98) and end of the study (103.07 +/- 14.61 vs. 61.04 +/- 13.36: P < 0.0001), and a fter follow-up they had a worse TES than at the beginning of the study (P = 0.01); no change in TES was found in normoalbuminuric patients d uring the study. The results suggest that a deficit in colour vision o ccurs in diabetic children before the onset of fluorescein angiographi c signs of retinopathy. Our follow-up shows that microalbuminuric pati ents present a significant worsening of colour vision. When a patient shows persistent microalbuminuria, colour vision must be carefully eva luated, also in subjects without fluorescein angiographic signs of ret inopathy.