Longitudinal changes of flicker electroretinogram parameters measured by Diopsys® in patients with retinal vasculitis

Abstract

Purpose : To determine the longitudinal changes of flicker electroretinography (ERG) parameters measured by Diopsys® in patients with retinal vasculitis (RV) who showed improvement on fluorescein angiography (FA).

Methods : Patients with RV who showed improvement on FA following treatment from 6 to 15 months and who underwent fixed luminance (FL) and multi-luminance (ML) flicker ERG Diopsys® were included. RV was assessed based on the severity of retinal capillary leakage and retinal vascular staining on FA. Patients with capillary nonperfusion areas were also recorded. The magnitude and phase of FL and ML flicker ERG were compared between two visits (baseline and latest visit with FA).

Results : Twenty-five eyes of 17 patients with RV were included. Mean age was 25.9±17.02 years old and 12 patients (70%) were female. FA grading at baseline includes 2 mild, 16 moderate, 6 severe, and 1 with occlusive disease. FA grading following treatment includes 13 resolved, 9 mild, and 2 moderate eyes. The eye with occlusive disease was treated with laser photocoagulation. The latency of the FL flicker ERG improved from 36.9±3.8 ms to 35.7±3.5 ms (p=0.021), while the magnitude did not change significantly (11.0 ±4.5 μV to 11.2± 3.3 μV, p=0.405). The magnitude (6.4±2.2 μV to 6.2±1.2 μV, p=0.390) and latency (164±23.2 ms to 167.8±19.5 ms, p=0.116) measurements of ML flicker ERG were not significant between two visits. Visual acuity remained stable between two visits (LogMAR 0.130±0.210 to 0.121±0.206, p=0.419). Central subfield macular thickness (313.8±110.07 to 288.1±86.81 μm, p=0.014) decreased significantly.

Conclusions : Improvement of RV on FA following treatment was not significantly associated with the magnitude of FL and ML flicker ERG, whereas the latency of FL flicker ERG improved along with the improvement of RV. The FL flicker ERG measured by Diopsys® may be helpful to monitor RV.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.