Correlation between spectral domain OCT retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and multifocal pattern electroretinogram in advanced retinitis pigmentosa

Abstract

Our aim is to assess the correlation between retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and ganglion cell function by electrophysiological means in advanced retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients. A prospective observational case-control study enrolled 12 RP patients (age average 44 ± 14 years) with concentric visual field loss (≤10 o) and 12 healthy age-matched control for testing. The peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness was assessed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography. The VERIS system was used to record multifocal pattern electroretinograms (mfPERG), a measure of inner retinal functional output. Amplitudes of P1N2 component were 42 ± 14, 53 ± 25 and 42 ± 17 nV within temporal superior, temporal, and temporal inferior region in RP, and 174 ± 52, 171 ± 46 and 144 ± 15 nV respectively in the control group (p < 0.01). RNFL thickness was 139 ± 46, 109 ± 34 and 153 ± 31 μm within temporal superior, temporal, and temporal inferior region in RP; and 131 ± 15, 79 ± 16 and 144 ± 15 μm respectively in the control group (p > 0.05). The diminution of photoreceptors sensory inputs in advanced RP patients corresponds with reduced amplitudes in mulitifocal pattern electroretinogram, although RNFL measurements indicate no detectable loss of RGC. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.