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Non-selectivity of ERG reductions in eyes treated for retinoblastoma

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Abstract

Purpose

We have monitored retinal function in patients treated for retinoblastoma (primarily, but not exclusively by intra-arterial chemotherapy infusion) by electroretinography (ERG) recordings for the past 7 years. We here present data from 599 ERG studies of 108 patients, in which a complete ERG protocol including both photopic and scotopic recordings was performed, in justification of our frequent practice of reporting primarily 30-Hz photopic flicker amplitude data.

Methods

Patients referred for treatment of retinoblastoma underwent ERG recordings during examination under anesthesia whenever possible: at baseline and following most treatment sessions. Correlations were calculated for the complete datasets between the four primary amplitude response parameters: photopic single flash b-wave, photopic 30-Hz flicker peak-to-trough, scotopic rod-isolating b-wave, and scotopic maximal flash b-wave.

Results

Using our adaptation of the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision-recommended standard ERG protocol, ERG responses of eyes of patients with untreated retinoblastoma or following traditional or intra-arterial treatment for retinoblastoma show very high correlations between 30-Hz flicker amplitude responses and three other standard photopic and scotopic ERG response amplitudes. Reductions in ERG amplitudes seen in these eyes following treatment show no significant difference between retinal dysfunction estimated using rod- or cone-dominated responses.

Conclusion

These observations support the use of photopic response amplitudes (especially in response to 30-Hz flicker) as the primary ERG outcome measure in studies of treated and untreated eyes with retinoblastoma when more complete ERG protocols may be impractical.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Rosa Chu and the team at the MSKCC retinoblastoma clinic for help with patient care and efficient acquisition of ERG data.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ophthalmic Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Catherine Y. Liu, Jasmine H. Francis, Brian P. Marr, David H. Abramson & Scott E. Brodie

  2. Ophthalmology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA

    Gowtham Jonna

  3. Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Scott E. Brodie

  4. Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Brian P. Marr & David H. Abramson

Authors
  1. Catherine Y. Liu
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  2. Gowtham Jonna
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  3. Jasmine H. Francis
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  4. Brian P. Marr
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  5. David H. Abramson
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  6. Scott E. Brodie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Scott E. Brodie.

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Liu, C.Y., Jonna, G., Francis, J.H. et al. Non-selectivity of ERG reductions in eyes treated for retinoblastoma. Doc Ophthalmol 128, 13–23 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-013-9416-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-013-9416-8

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