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Test–retest repeatability of the pattern electroretinogram and flicker electroretinogram

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the repeatability of the steady-state pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and full-field flicker electroretinogram (Flicker ERG) protocols, delivered by the office-based Neuro Optic Vision Assessment (NOVA)™ testing platform, in healthy subjects.

Methods

Healthy individuals underwent PERG (16° and 24°) and Flicker ERG [fixed luminance (FL) and multi-luminance (ML)] testing protocols. Test–retest repeatability of protocols was calculated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Reference values of the parameters of the aforementioned tests were also calculated.

Results

The ICCs for the PERG parameters ranged from 0.793 to 0.911 (p < 0.001). The ICCs for the Flicker ERG parameters ranged from 0.968 to 0.994 (p < 0.001). A linear regression analysis was applied to assess the impact of age on ERG responses. Age had a significant impact on all PERG parameters (16° or 24°). The phase response of the FL Flicker ERG significantly decreased with age (β = − 0.837, p ≤ 0.001). The FL Flicker ERG Magnitude was also impacted with a significant quadratic effect of age (β = − 0.0047, p = 0.0004). Similarly, the Phase Area Under the Curve (Phase AUC) of the ML Flicker ERG significantly declined with age (β = − 0.007, p = 0.009), and the impact on the Magnitude AUC was significant as well, with a negative quadratic age effect.

Conclusions

The PERG and Flicker ERG protocols, delivered by an office-based testing platform, were shown to have good-to-excellent test–retest repeatability when tests were performed in the same order and in immediate succession.

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Funding

This study was funded by Dyopsis Inc. Dr. Alberto Garcia, MD works as Chief Medical Officer at Diopsys Inc. Ms. Kassandra Pickel, MPH worked as a Research Associate at Diopsys Inc. during this manuscript’s preparation. The Wills Eye Hospital Glaucoma Research Center has received funding from Diopsys Inc. to conduct this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Glaucoma Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, 840 Walnut Street, Suite 1140, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA

    Arthur F. Resende, Carina T. Sanvicente & L. Jay Katz

  2. St. Luke’s University Hospital, Bethlehem, PA, USA

    Hamoon Eshraghi

  3. Diopsys Inc., Pine Brook, NJ, USA

    Alberto Garcia & Kassandra Pickel

  4. Vickie and Jack Farber Vision Research Center, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Qiang Zhang

  5. Division of Ophthalmology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Michael Waisbourd

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  1. Arthur F. Resende
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Correspondence to L. Jay Katz.

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Resende, A.F., Sanvicente, C.T., Eshraghi, H. et al. Test–retest repeatability of the pattern electroretinogram and flicker electroretinogram. Doc Ophthalmol 139, 185–195 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-019-09707-5

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