Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: to compare the results obtained in healthy preterm vs full-term newborns, at 3 and 8 months of age, by p-VEPs and f-VEPs recordings. Methods: we examined 20 healthy preterm newborns (28-35 weeks of gestational age (GA)), recording f-VEPs, p-VEPs-t and p-VEPs-ss at different spatial frequencies. We did it at 3 months of postnatal age (PA), 3 GA, 8 PA. We compared the results with those obtained in 90 full-term newborns at 3 and 8 months. Results: for each child we calculated the threshold frequency (the highest spatial frequency we recorded a reliable signal with pVEPs-ss) and studied its distribution at different ages: -In 18 preterms of 3 PA the threshold frequency was < 1 c/d. -In 16 preterms of 3 GA it was ≥ 2 c/d, as it was in 74 of 3 months full-term newborns. -In 15 preterms of 8 PA it was ≥ 5 c/d, as it was in 63 of 8 months full-term newborns. F-VEP latencies were comparable in preterms of 3 GA and 3 months full-term newborns (150,25 ± 9,5 ms vs 146,9 ± 14 ms), while they were delayed in preterms of 3 PA (219,7 ± 17 ms). P-VEP latencies were comparable in preterms of 8 PA and 8 months full-term newborns (106,4 ± 6,3 ms vs 101,23 ± 3,2 ms), but delayed in preterms of 3 PA (221,1 ± 21,7 ms) and 3 GA (143 ± 8,2 ms) as to 3 months full-term newborns (110,1 ± 11 ms). Conclusion: there is an important difference, evidenced by f-VEPs and p-VEPs recordings (both in transient and steady state stimulation), between 3 PA and 3 GA preterm newborns. In 3 GA preterms only f-VEP latencies are similar to those of 3 months full-term newborns: p-VEP latencies are instead still delayed. The results obtained with f-VEPs and p-VEPs analysis don't show, at least, evident differences in preterms of 8 PA and 8 months full-term newborns. So, according to us, at this age the preterms have completely made up for the visual pathway maturation delay.
Keywords: 622 visual development • 623 visual development: infancy and childhood • 393 electrophysiology: clinical