Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate retinal function of non-infectious uveitis patients using full field electroretinography (ERG) and correlate the ERG to disease duration and severity of inflammation.
Methods :
Prospective study. Patients (n=200) with non-infectious uveitis and a disease duration of <1 year (group A, n=80) and >5 years (group B, n=120) were included. ERGs of the total 355 uveitis eyes were measured according to an extended ISCEV protocol. ERG abnormalities were related to demographics and uveitis characteristics, including anatomical classification, the duration of uveitis, severity of inflammation, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), cystoid macular edema (CME), and the highest fluorescein angiography (FA) score during the course of the disease.
Results :
The ERG showed abnormalities in 235 eyes (66.2%). The most frequent and pronounced ERG abnormality was a prolonged implicit time of the cone b-wave (151 eyes, 42.5%).There were no differences in ERG abnormalities between both groups. Group A had more vitritis and CME at time of ERG measurement whereas group B showed more signs of more CME and optic disc leakage on fluorescein angiography in the past.
Factors associated with a prolonged cone b-wave were: vitritis (p=.005), cells in the anterior chamber (p=.007), highest FA score during follow-up (p=.011), age (p<0.001), and pupil diameter (p<0.001). BCVA was relatively good in both groups (0.05 LogMAR (IQR 0.011-0.22)) and not associated with this ERG abnormality. There was no significant association between ERG abnormalities and the anatomical classification of uveitis or specific diagnosis.
Conclusions :
The ERG is frequently affected in non-infectious uveitis of all anatomic subtypes, including anterior uveitis and even without clinical signs of retinal inflammation. ERG abnormalities appear to be associated with the severity of inflammation of both present and in the past.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.