Electroretinographic findings in infants with the shaken baby syndrome

• Published in: Journal of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 22 - 26
• Main Authors: FISHMAN, C. D, DASHER, W. B, LAMBERT, S. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thorofare, NJ Slack 1998; SLACK INCORPORATED
• Subjects: Battered Child Syndrome - complications; Battered Child Syndrome - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Electroretinography; Female; Hematoma, Subdural - etiology; Hematoma, Subdural - physiopathology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Ophthalmology; Retina - physiology; Retinal Hemorrhage - etiology; Retinal Hemorrhage - physiopathology; Retinopathies; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - etiology; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - physiopathology; Vision Disorders - etiology; Vision Disorders - physiopathology; Human; Electroretinography; Intracranial; Nervous system diseases; Retinopathy; Shaking; Cardiovascular disease; Exploration; Infant; Retina; Victimology; Hemorrhage; Vascular disease; Electrodiagnosis; Eye disease; Child abuse; Diagnosis; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 0191-3913; 1938-2405
• DOI: 10.3928/0191-3913-19980101-09

To determine if electroretinography is helpful in the work-up of children with the shaken baby syndrome. Six children with retinal hemorrhages and the shaken baby syndrome underwent electroretinography (ERG). The ERGs of these six children were compared with six age-matched controls using the sign-rank test. Neither the implicit time nor the amplitude of the white scotopic ERG response was significantly different between these patients and age-matched controls. Although the amplitude of the blue scotopic and 30 Hz flicker responses were attenuated (p < 0.05), the implicit times were not significantly different from controls. Three of the patients had serial ERGs recorded. The b-wave implicit time and amplitude improved in two of these patients. The ERG was helpful in distinguishing between a CNS and a retinal cause of visual loss in one child. The ERG can be helpful in assessing retinal function in children with the shaken baby syndrome who have persistent visual impairment. In most cases, the ERG is not helpful in the initial assessment of children with the shaken baby syndrome.