The Clinical Applications of Multifocal Electroretinogram in Diabetic Retinopathy

Kim, Sang Jin; Yu, Hyeong Gon

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigate the correlation between the severity of diabetic retinopathy and the responses of multifocal electroretinogram (mERG). METHODS: The amplitude and peak time of mERG was evaluated in a group of 88 diabetics and 20 control subjects. The severity of diabetic retinopathy was determined according to the ETDRS scale using color fundus photographs and fluorescein angiograms. RESULTS: The amplitudes of the summed mERG and the central seven hexagons were significantly lower in diabetic patients compared with control subjects, and the more severe the diabetic retinopathy was , the less the amplitude was (P<0.05). The peak times of the summed mERG and the central seven hexagons were significantly delayed in diabetic patients, and the peak time was increased in parallel with the severity of retinopathy (P<0.05). These significant correlations between mERG responses and the severity of diabetic retinopathy was maintained even after the exclusion of patients with diabetic macular edema. CONCLUSIONS: The macular function in diabetic patients is correlated with the grade of diabetic retinopathy, and mERG may have a clinical application in evaluating macular function in these patients.