Electroretinographic Responses to Full Field Stimuli in Children with a History of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Treated with Anti-VEGF

Abstract

Purpose : To evaluate dark adapted, full field electroretinographic (ffERG) response parameters in children with a history of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated only with an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy and those in which anti-VEGF treatment was subsequently supplemented with laser photocoagulation.

Methods : Full field electroretinography (ffERG) was performed in patients (N=18) who had ROP treated with anti-VEGF therapy. The subjects were born at median gestational age of 24 weeks (range 23 - 29 weeks) and median birth weight at 645 g (range 410 - 960g). The median corrected age at ffERG test was 41.9 weeks (range 8 to 83 weeks). None had a retinal detachment. In every patient, the ffERG was performed following anti-VEGF treatment. In one group (n=9), the anti-VEGF treatment was deemed adequate (i.e., the ROP required no further treatment); in the other group, subsequent retreatment with laser photocoagulation was administered following inadequate anti-VEGF treatment (n=9). Sensitivity and saturating response amplitude parameters were calculated from the a-wave, b-wave, and oscillatory potentials (OPs), respectively, to provide information about rod mediated photoreceptor, post-receptor, and inner retinal function. Linear mixed modeling was used to evaluate response parameters for differences between those in the anti-VEGF adequate versus inadequate groups.

Results : Neither gestational age at birth nor birthweight differed significantly between the group wherein anti-VEGF treatment was adequate and the group requiring additional laser treatment. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in any amplitude or sensitivity parameter between these groups.

Conclusions : These ffERG results indicate no evidence that dark adapted ffERG photoreceptor and post-receptor activity parameters differ between children with ROP for whom anti-VEGF is adequate and those who will require additional laser treatment. This is despite the strong evidence that photo receptor activity instigates the vascular abnormalities that are the clinical hallmark of ROP (Akula et al., ExER 2010).

This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.