title: Visual evoked responses in megaloblastic anemia.
abstract: Pattern shift visual evoked responses (PSVER) were studied in thirty patients suffering from severe megaloblastic anemia (mean Hb level was 4.25 +/- 1.22 g/dL) of nutritional origin. All patients lacked clinical stigmata of visual and neurologic impairment. Mean P100 latency in thirty age and sex matched controls was 96.35 +/- 6.75 ms (range 86-108 ms) and mean amplitude was 10.37 +/- 3.88 microV (range 4.8-20.8 microV). Mean P100 latency in megaloblastic anemia was 114.77 +/- 11.68 (range 91-142) ms, P < 001 vs. control) and mean amplitude was 8.85 +/- 2.8 microV (range 5.1-16.2 microV). Seventy percent cases had prolonged latency of P 100. After correction of anemia with therapeutic doses of vitamin B12 and folic acid in three months (mean Hb level was 12.08 +/- 1.86 g/dL), the mean P100 latency was 105.13 +/- 9.30 ms (range 92-121 ms P < 0.001 vs. controls) and mean amplitude was 10.72 +/- 4.13 microV (range 5.1-21.4 microV). There was significant improvement in P100 latency after correction of anemia (P < 0.01). There was a negative correlation between P100 latency and hemoglobin levels, though it was statistically not significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Pt. B. D. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahajan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yadav
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000749:Anemia, Megaloblastic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D006397:Hematinics; D014805:Vitamin B 12