Retinal Thickness in the Offspring of Diabetic Pregnancies

Abstract

To compare macular and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in children from diabetic compared with nondiabetic pregnancy. Cross-sectional study. As part of the Sydney Myopia Study, 2367 children from grade 7 (age range 11.1 to 14.4 years) completed detailed ocular examinations during 2004-2005. Examination included determination of best-corrected visual acuity (logarithm of minimal angle of resolution) and autorefraction after cycloplegia. Axial length was measured using noncontact interferometry. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed using Stratus OCT through dilated pupils. Participants and parents completed comprehensive questionnaires including questions on birth parameters and medical history. There were 1741 and 1687 children with adequate-quality RNFL and macular scans respectively, who had complete examination and questionnaire data. There were 57 children from diabetic pregnancies who had both RNFL and macular scans. Children from diabetic pregnancies had significantly thinner inner (264.9 μm vs 270.2 μm, P = .007) and outer (231.9 μm vs 238.6 μm, P = .0001) macular thickness and macular volume (6.75 mm(3) vs 6.92 mm(3), P = .0003) compared with children from nondiabetic pregnancies. However, central macular thickness, foveal minimum thickness, and RNFL parameters were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Diabetes during pregnancy is associated with changes in retinal morphology in the offspring. Thinning of the pericentral macular parameters was evident in Stratus OCT scans of children from diabetic pregnancies. These findings suggest the possibility that maternal diabetes impacts on the development of the retina.