Retinal Blood Flow and Microthrombi in Type 1 Diabetes

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2006-03-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The project aims to find mechanisms for the abnormal retinal blood flow that in diabetic patients often precedes any evidence of clinical retinopathy and may contribute to the development of retinopathy.

Specifically, the projects tests the hypothesis that reduced retinal blood flow found in young patients with type 1 diabetes reflects increased resistance in the small vessels of the retina caused by the formation of small blood clots, called microthrombi; and that antiplatelet agents normalize the reduced retinal blood flow.

• Phase: Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Schepens Eye Research Institute
• Treatments: Aspirin; Clopidogrel

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-45 years,

• type 1 diabetes duration 1-15 years,

• absent or minimal retinopathy (EDTRS 20).

• Age- and gender-matched healthy controls

Exclusion Criteria:

• smoking,

• systemic diseases other than diabetes,

• retinal diseases other than diabetic retinopathy,

• pregnancy,

• bleeding disorders,

• aspirin allergy,

• use of anti-platelet agents,

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents,

• angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors,

• angiotensin receptor antagonists,

• Vitamin E in large doses.