Evaluation of pattern ERG responses using various electrodes

Abstract

Purpose : To evaluate how the Diopsys-NOVA ERG skin electrode, DTL electrode and the Ag/AgCl electrode affect the Pattern ERG response.

Methods : Five subjects with normal vision were tested with Diopsys NOVA system three times with each of the following electrodes: a Diopsys NOVA-ERG skin electrode, a DTL electrode and a Silver/Silver Chloride cup electrode. Each test consisted of the skin being prepared and a new electrode being applied. A two way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical analysis was performed on the resulting data.

Results : For the PERG P50 amplitude parameter, the Diopsys electrode had the smallest standard deviation (0.722) whereas the DTL had the largest standard deviation (3.879). The following summarizes the results: There was no significant main effect for the subjects group (F (4, 44) = 2.44, p =0.0634, F_critical(4, 44) = 2.58), and there was a significant main effect for electrode group (F (2, 44) = 7.85, p = 0.0014, F_critical (4, 44) = 3.21). For the PERG P50 latency parameter, the Ag/AgCl cup electrode had the smallest standard deviation (3.29) whereas the DTL had the largest standard deviation (10.18).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The following summarizes the results: There is a significant main effect for subjects group (F (4, 44) = 3.17, p =0.0241, F_critical(4, 44) = 2.58), and there was no significant main effect for electrode group (F (2, 44) = 1.835, p = 0.1740, F_critical (4, 44) = 3.21)

Conclusions : The Diopsys NOVA-ERG skin produced a significant improvement in recording the PERG amplitude parameter as compared to the DTL and Ag/AgCl cup electrodes. There was no loss of PERG latency information when the Diopsys NOVA-ERG electrode was used.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.