title: Long-term effects of fenretinide on retinal function.
abstract: The long-term effects of the synthetic retinoid fenretinide (4-HPR) on retinal function were studied by electroretinogram (ERG) in 24 women treated for a median of 30.5 months and in 18 untreated controls belonging to a phase III intervention trial. The six outcome measures were: a wave implicit time, peak-to-peak amplitude and implicit time of b wave following both cone stimulation and maximal cone-rod stimulation in the dark-adapted eye. Multivariate analysis of covariance was applied to evaluate the joint effect on the whole set of ERG measures taking into account their inter-relationship. Predictive factors with a significant effect on ERG measures were: (1) a qualitative interaction between age and treatment duration and (2) the squared (parabolic) function of plasma retinol. Individually, the b wave implicit time following cone stimulation was the only ERG measure significantly influenced by the predictors, indicating a primary effect of 4-HPR on retinal photoreceptor sensitivity without significant alterations of the inner nuclear layer. Thus, in contrast to previous reports at higher dose, administration of 4-HPR at 200 mg/day seems to exert subtle alterations of retinal function as measured by ERG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology II, National Institute for Cancer Research, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decensi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fioretto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rondanina
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torrisi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Orengo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D017313:Fenretinide / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014801:Vitamin A; D017313:Fenretinide