Visual evoked potentials in infants of diabetic mothers: relations to clinical and metabolic status during pregnancy and delivery.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) and psychomotor development of infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) in relation to clinical and metabolic data during pregnancy and delivery.

METHODS

VEPs and psychomotor development (Brunet-Lézine) were analysed in 40 two-month-old IDMs (21 males, 19 females), 24 from mothers with type-1 diabetes, 13 gestational diabetes, and 3 type-2 diabetes. Normative VEP data were obtained from 63 age matched controls.

RESULTS

VEP latencies were significantly longer in IDMs than in controls (O1 wave IV=197.9+/-35.5 vs 155.3+/-30.3; P<0.001; O2 wave IV=200.2+/-33.8 vs 155.6+/-29.0; P<0.001). The mean developmental quotient was normal. In IDMs with type-1 diabetes delayed VEPs were related to increased weight during pregnancy (r 0.516; P 0.009), 1st trimester fasting blood glucose (r 0.458; P 0.037), insulin requirement during the 2nd (r 0.441; P 0.035) and 3rd trimester (r 0.422; P 0.039); in IDMs with gestational diabetes, VEP latency showed negative relation to Apgar scores (r -0.748; P 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

IDMs have delayed VEPs, which may possibly be related to poor metabolic control in pre-gestational diabetes, and to delivery complications in gestational diabetes.

SIGNIFICANCE

IDMs show subtle neurophysiologic changes detectable by VEPs.