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Retinal thickness visual acuity vary significantly throughout the day in DME patients
Retinal thickness measurements and visual acuity vary widely over a 24-hour period in patients with diabetic macular edema, according to a study.
“It must not be overlooked that many clinics, especially private ones, operate not only in the morning or in the afternoon but during evening hours as well. Further research could be carried out on retinal thickness adjustment according to the time of day,” the study authors said.
The prospective study included 53 eyes of 53 diabetic patients with clinically significant DME and central subfield thickness greater than 225 µm. Mean patient age was 62 years. One control group comprised 36 eyes of 36 healthy subjects. A second control group included 22 eyes of 22 diabetic patients with no macular pathology. Mean ages in the control groups were 58 years and 63 years, respectively.
Patients underwent optical coherence tomography measurements of central subfield thickness and total macular volume at 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 3 p.m., 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. Absolute and relative retinal thickening were calculated. LogMAR visual acuity, blood pressure, blood glucose level and body temperature were assessed at the same times.
Study results showed significant changes in central subfield thickness, total macular volume and visual acuity throughout the day (all P < .0005).
Mean central subfield thickness in the DME group was 450 µm at 7 a.m. and 402 µm at 3 p.m.; it then increased at 8 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Visual acuity was worst at 7 a.m., at 0.38, and best at 8 p.m., at 0.30; the difference was statistically significant (P < .0005).
Blood pressure, blood glucose level and body temperature did not vary during the day, the authors said.