Correlation between optical coherence tomography, pattern electroretinogram, and visual evoked potentials in open-angle glaucoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
[corrected] To correlate the nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness and the visual function evaluated by electrophysiologic retinal and cortical responses assessed in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) eyes.


METHODS
Prospective case-control study.


METHODS
Thirty glaucoma patients (mean age, 47.1 +/- 7.15 years; refractive error range, +/- 2 spherical equivalent) with a mean deviation of computerized static perimetry (24/2 Humphrey, Dublin, CA) from -5 to -28 dB and intraocular pressure less than 21 mmHg on pharmacologic treatment and 14 age-matched control participants.


METHODS
Nerve fiber layer thickness was measured by optical coherence tomography. Retinal and visual pathway function was assessed by simultaneously recording pattern electroretinograms (PERGs) and visual evoked potentials (VEPs) using high-contrast (80%) checkerboard stimuli (the single check edges subtend 15 minutes of the visual arc) reversed at the rate of two reversals per second. Linear regression analyses were adopted to establish the correlation between NFL thickness and PERG and VEP parameters.


METHODS
Nerve fiber layer thickness measurements in each quadrant (superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal) were taken and then averaged (12 values averaged) and identified as NFL overall, whereas the data obtained in the temporal quadrant only (three values averaged) were identified as NFL temporal. PERG P50 implicit time and P50-N95 amplitude and VEP P100 implicit time and N75-P100 amplitude were also measured.


RESULTS
In OAG eyes, we found a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in NFL thickness in both NFL overall and NFL temporal evaluations with respect to the values observed in control eyes. PERG and VEP parameters showed a significant (P < 0.01) delay in implicit time and a reduction in peak-to-peak amplitude. In OAG eyes, the NFL overall and NFL temporal values were significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with the PERG P50 implicit time and P50-95 peak-to-peak amplitude. No correlations (P > 0.01) between NFL values and VEP parameters were found.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a correlation between PERG changes and NFL thickness, but there is no correlation between VEP changes and NFL thickness in patients affected by OAG.
Parisi
V
V
Cattedra di Clinica Oculistica, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. vparisi@tin.it
Manni
G
G
Centofanti
M
M
Gandolfi
S A
SA
Olzi
D
D
Bucci
M G
MG
D000328:Adult; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D004596:Electroretinography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007368:Interferometry; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology; D014054:Tomography / Q000379:methods; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology*