Significant correlations between focal photopic negative response and focal visual sensitivity and ganglion cell complex thickness in glaucomatous eyes

• Published in: Japanese journal of ophthalmology Vol. 66; no. 1; pp. 41 - 51
• Main Authors: Ishizuka, Masahiko, Machida, Shigeki, Hara, Yuji, Tada, Atsushi, Ebihara, Satoshi, Gonmori, Mana, Nishimura, Tomoharu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.01.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amplitudes; Biomarkers; Clinical Investigation; Correlation; Electroretinograms; Electroretinography; Eye; Eye (anatomy); Fovea; Glaucoma; Glaucoma, Open-Angle - diagnosis; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Observational studies; Ophthalmology; Retina; Retinal Ganglion Cells; Sensitivity; Thickness; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Visual Field Tests; Visual Fields; Glaucoma; PhNR; Photopic negative response; Focal macular ERG; Electroretinogram
• ISSN: 0021-5155; 1613-2246
• DOI: 10.1007/s10384-021-00886-w

Purpose To determine whether there are significant correlations between the focal photopic negative response (PhNR), the focal visual sensitivity and the ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness in glaucomatous eyes. Study design Single-center observational study. Methods Fifty-two eyes of 52 patients (71.4 ± 9.42 years) with clinically diagnosed open angle glaucoma were studied. Thirty-six age-matched normal subjects served as controls. The focal PhNR of the focal macular electroretinograms (fmERGs) were elicited by a 15° circular, a superior semicircular or an inferior semicircular stimulus centered on the fovea. The thickness of the GCC was measured in the corresponding retinal areas in the spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic images. The visual sensitivities (dB) were measured by microperimetry at the retinal area where the fmERGs were elicited and were converted to liner values (1/Lambert). Results The focal PhNR amplitudes were significantly correlated with the visual sensitivities of the full-circle ( R  = 0.532), the superior ( R  = 0.530) and inferior ( R  = 0.526) semicircular responses ( P  < 0.0001). The GCC thickness was correlated with the visual sensitivities in the same areas with stronger correlations ( R  = 0.700, 0.759 and 0.650, respectively; P  < 0.0001). The focal PhNR amplitudes were proportionally reduced with the thinning of the GCC thickness ( R  = 0.494, 0.518 and 0.511, respectively; P  < 0.0001). Conclusions The significant correlations between the focal PhNR amplitudes, the focal visual sensitivities and the GCC thickness indicate that these may be good biomarkers to track the changes in the physiology and anatomy of the macular area in glaucomatous eyes.