scholarly journals Diagnostic Value of Conventional Visual Evoked Potentials Applied to Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Medicina ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Renata Balnytė ◽  
Ingrida Ulozienė ◽  
Daiva Rastenytė ◽  
Antanas Vaitkus ◽  
Lina Malcienė ◽  
...  

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this classical technique employed at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences for the patients with multiple sclerosis and to assess its possible correlations with affected neurological systems. Material and Methods. Pattern shift visual evoked potentials were recorded in 63 patients with multiple sclerosis, 17 (27%) of whom had a history of optic neuritis, and in 63 control patients with other neurological diseases. The latencies and amplitudes of P100 were measured. In total, 126 patients were referred to the inpatient department of neurology for differential diagnosis of demyelinating disorders between January and December of 2007. Results. Abnormalities of visual evoked potentials were observed by 73% more frequently in patients with multiple sclerosis than in control patients (α=0.05, β<0.01). The combined monocular/ interocular test showed a specificity of 90.5% and a sensitivity of 82.5%. The probability of an affection of the pyramidal system was 5 times greater (95% CI, 2.2–11.0; P<0.01) and the probability of the optic pathways involvement was 4.8 times greater (95% CI, 1.9–11.9; P<0.01) in patients with multiple sclerosis than in controls. Conclusion. Conventional visual evoked potentials must be reappraised in light of their diagnostic value in multiple sclerosis given their high diagnostic efficiency, relatively easy, short, and cheap implementation, and easy availability in everyday clinical practice.

2000 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-13
Author(s):  
MD Kaufman ◽  
DM Lutz ◽  
J Norton

Abstract Because vision commonly is affected in persons with multiple sclerosis, it would be helpful to have a bedside test capable of identifying abnormalities that are not readily apparent. This study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the first 11 plates of Ishihara's Tests for color blindness (1995 concise edition) as compared to visual evoked potentials in patients with multiple sclerosis reporting normal vision. Forty-five multiple sclerosis patients and 42 controls, aged 25 to 44 years, were assessed. After examination of vision by a neurologist, Ishihara's Tests for color blindness and visual evoked potential tests were administered under conditions similar to those encountered in a neurologic practice. The specificity for each test was defined by the responses of the control population. In differentiating individuals with multiple sclerosis from controls, Ishihara's Tests for color blindness was as sensitive (62%; 28/45) and specific (100%; 42/42) as visual evoked potentials (sensitivity = 58%, 26/45; specificity = 98%, 41/42). Ishihara's Tests for color blindness identified a different population of patients and probably measured a different aspect of visual function than did visual evoked potentials. Ishihara's Tests for color blindness appeared more likely to identify patients with a long disease duration, while visual evoked potentials better identified patients with a history of optic neuritis. Ishihara's Tests for color blindness may be a simple and cost-effective adjunct for detecting and following the visual abnormalities of patients with multiple sclerosis.


2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niphon Chirapapaisan ◽  
Sawarin Laotaweerungsawat ◽  
Wanicha Chuenkongkaew ◽  
Patthanee Samsen ◽  
Ngamkae Ruangvaravate ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 1342-1347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Di Maggio ◽  
Roberto Santangelo ◽  
Simone Guerrieri ◽  
Mariangela Bianco ◽  
Laura Ferrari ◽  
...  

Objective: To assess the sensitivity of optic coherence tomography (OCT) and visual evoked potentials (VEPs) to visual pathway abnormalities in multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: A total of 40 MS subjects, 28 with optic neuritis (ON) at least 3 months before (bilateral in 5), underwent assessment of visual acuity, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), OCT and VEPs, the latter quantified with a 0–4 conventional score. Results: OCT and VEPs were abnormal in 36% and 56% respectively in all eyes ( p=0.11), 68% and 86% in eyes with previous ON ( p=0.12), and in 19% versus 40% in eyes without ON history ( p=0.007). Combining VEP and OCT increased sensitivity to 89% in ON and 44% in non-ON eyes. Considering all eyes, global retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and VEP score were significantly correlated between them (ρ=−0.63, p<0.001) and with EDSS (RNFL: ρ=0.40, p<0.001; VEP score: ρ=0.47, p<0.001). Disease duration correlated with VEP score (ρ=0.25, p=0.025) and RNFL thickness (ρ=−0.71, p<0.001). Conclusions: In eyes without ON, VEPs were more frequently abnormal than OCT, while the two techniques showed similar sensitivity in eyes previously affected by ON. The correlation of VEPs and OCT measures with disability prompts further exploration of the two techniques as potential markers of disease burden.


2011 ◽  
Vol 125 (6) ◽  
pp. 424-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Hawkes ◽  
S. Chawda ◽  
S. Derakshani ◽  
N. Muhammed ◽  
E. Visentin ◽  
...  

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