title: Correlation between the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and the pattern electroretinogram amplitude.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a correlation between the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by a scanning laser polarimeter (GDx) and the pattern electroretinogram (p-ERG) amplitudes in a heterogeneous population sample composed of normal subjects, ocular hypertensive and glaucomatous patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  112 subjects were considered: 40 glaucomatous patients, 39 ocular hypertensive and 33 normal subjects. All were examined with the GDx, and the RNFL thickness was measured. A transient p-ERG was then recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant correlation was observed between the RNFL thickness and the p-ERG amplitudes (p < 0.001) by means of linear regression analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed a strict correlation between the measurements of the RNFL thickness obtained with the GDx and the amplitude of the p-ERG signal. These techniques represent additional objective tools to detect an early glaucomatous damage.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Oculistica, Università di Trieste, Ospedale Maggiore, Italia.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toffoli
authors.forename: Odilla
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vattovani
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cecchini
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pastori
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ravalico
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests / Q000379:methods