Clinical Analysis of Electroretinogram in Hypertensive Retinopathy

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Among electroretinogram variables, changes in OPs have frequently been reported as an early index of microcirculatory changes in diabetes mellitus patients without clinical signs of diabetic retinopathy. But studies on the relationship of hypertensive retinopathy and ERG have rarely been reported. This study was performed to investigate the relationship between retinal functional damage of hypertension and related changes in ERG. METHODS: Sixty-six essential hypertensive patients who visited our health screening center from January to July in 2001 were incruited as subjects. Among 122 eyes of 61 patients, 56 eyes with normal appearing retina were classified as group A while another 66 eyes with evidence of hypertensive retinopathy were as group B and 30 eyes of 15 persons of similar ages with normal blood pressure were normal control group as group C. Amplitude and implicit time were measured according to the standard electroretinogram procedure recommended by the ISCEV. RESULTS: In rod response, the amplitude of b wave of group A and B were smaller than that of group C(p<0.01), and the SOP of group A and B were also smaller than that of group C(p<0.01). The SOP of group B was smaller than that of group A(P<0.01). Regardless of degree of hypertension, the SOP value of group B was smaller than that of group A(P<0.01). Among patients with less than 5 years of duration, the SOP value of group B was smaller than that of group A(P<0.01). Among Group A with more than 5 years of duration, regardless of hypertensive retinopathy, the SOP was decreased. Among Group B with less than 5 years of duration, the SOP was also decreased regardless of retinopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of hypertensive retinopahy, scotopic b-amplitude and SOP were reduced in hypertension patients. Those patient with longer duration, decreased SOP was related to microcirculation alteration in hypertension despite normal appearing retina.