New diabetes vision treatment explained

BOSTON, Jul 14, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- An international study led by a Joslin Diabetes Center scientist suggests a new treatment may be effective in reducing vision loss in diabetes patients.

The initial results of the Phase III clinical trial demonstrated 32 milligrams daily of ruboxistaurin (RBX) might reduce the risk of moderate vision loss, especially in patients with diabetic macular edema.

Loss of vision among diabetics results from two primary conditions: diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.

In diabetic retinopathy, tiny blood vessels in the retina become damaged, Joslin officials said. While early in the disease there are often no symptoms, over time new, abnormal blood vessels proliferate and bleed easily. If untreated, proliferative diabetic retinopathy can cause severe vision loss.

In diabetic macular edema, leaky blood vessels cause swelling in the macula -- the part of the retina responsible for central vision.

The double-masked, randomized multiple-dose study involving 252 patients was conducted in the United States, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and Britain. It suggested RBX may reduce the risk of moderate vision loss caused by macular edema.

The study by the Boston-based Joslin Center appears in the July issue of the American Diabetes Association's journal Diabetes.