Perspectives On The News, May, 2008: Diabetic Retinopathy

POST-TEST QUESTIONS

1. In the United States, approximately how many persons have diabetic retinopathy, and for how many does it threaten vision?
  1. 10 million with retinopathy, vision-threatening for 1 million
  2. 5 million with retinopathy, vision-threatening for 1 million
  3. 3 million with retinopathy, vision-threatening for 0.5 million
  4. 1 million with retinopathy, vision-threatening for 0.5 million

 

2. Which of the following is NOT an independent risk factor for diabetic retinopathy:

  1. LDL cholesterol and triglyceride
  2. A1c level and diabetes duration
  3. non-Hispanic White ethnicity and hematuria
  4. high diastolic blood pressure

 

3. Diabetic retinopathy is a result of microvascular abnormalities in the retina and:

  1. impaired astrocyte regulation
  2. alteration in the function and structure of the retinal glia
  3. disintegration of retinal neurons early in the course of disease
  4. All of the above
  5. 'a' and 'b' only

 

4. With mild diabetic retinopathy, neurodegeneration of the diabetic retina is evidenced by all of the following EXCEPT:

  1. Microaneurisms
  2. Macular edema
  3. Reduced color vision and impaired contrast sensitivity
  4. Impaired dark adaptation and visual field defects


5. True or False.  Levels of endothelial progenitor cell increase progressively with worsening retinopathy in diabetics with macrovascular complications; and decrease in diabetics with proliferative retinopathy.

  1. True
  2. False

 

6: Which of the following is NOT characteristic of inflammation in diabetic retinopathy?

  1. Capillary occlusion is an early clinical feature and is potentially reversible.
  2. Leukocytes show increased deformability and minimally adhesive properties.
  3. Leukocyte glycoproteins are modified resulting in increased adhesion.
  4. Leukocytes within microaneurisms increase the likelihood of abnormalities.

 

7. Pharmacologic treatments which may improve diabetic retinopathy include:

  1. Antagonists to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
  2. Glucocorticoids
  3. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors
  4. All of the above
  5. 'a' and 'b' only

8. Which of the following was reported by the FDA in their drug safety newsletter?

  1. Pancreatitis was a side effect of Exenatide.
  2. Sudden hearing loss may result from use of phophodiesterase type 5 inhibitors.
  3. Duloxetine is associated with hyponatremia, GI bleeding, and urinary retention.
  4. All of the above.
  5. ‘a’ and ‘c’ only.