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Published on: July 1, 2016
Prognostic value of visual evoked potentials (VEP) in infants with visual inattentiveness
K Iinuma1, C T Lombroso, Y Matsumiya
1Seizure Unit, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. kiinuma@ped.med.tohoku.ac.jp
Insights
Flash visual evoked potentials (fVEPs) in infants can predict long-term visual outcomes. Organized waveforms and sufficient voltage in fVEPs suggest a good prognosis for visual recovery in infants with visual inattentiveness.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Infants with visual inattentiveness require accurate methods for predicting visual prognosis.
- Prechiasmal visual pathway issues were excluded in the study population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive value of flash visual evoked potentials (fVEPs) for long-term visual outcomes in infants.
- To correlate fVEP characteristics with subsequent visual competence or blindness.
Main Methods:
- Recorded fVEPs in 56 infants (3-15 months) with visual inattentiveness.
- Followed up visual status for 1-2 years, categorizing children into visually competent (Group NB) or blind (Group B).
- Compared fVEP findings with a control group (Group C) of 32 age-matched children without visual symptoms.
Main Results:
- Well-organized VEP waveforms (Types U, S) and those with a negative shift (Type N) indicated a favorable prognosis.
- Integrated VEP voltage showed a strong correlation with long-term visual recovery.
- Vertex VEP also provided predictive insights into visual prognosis.
Conclusions:
- fVEP waveform organization, complexity, and integrated voltage are significant predictors of visual prognosis in infants.
- Sufficient VEP voltage and complexity suggest a good outlook for visual recovery in infants with initial visual inattentiveness.
Abstract:
Visual evoked potentials elicited by strobe flash (fVEPs) were recorded in 56 infants (3 months to 15 months of age) with visual inattentiveness but without prechiasmal problems. Their visual status was reexamined one or more years later when 41 children were found to be visually competent (Group NB) and 15 were blind (Group B). We also evaluated a group of 32 age-matched children who had no visual symptoms (Group C). It was found that well organized VEP waveforms over one or both hemispheres (Types U and S), or those with a characteristic negative shift (Type N) suggest favorable prognosis. Integrated voltage of the VEP correlated well with long-term prognosis for visual recovery. The vertex VEP also (had) provided some predictions for visual prognosis. Overall results indicate good prognosis if related to sufficient voltage and complexity of the VEP components.
