VISUAL EVOKED POTENTIAL CHANGES IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Aim: The normal visual evoked potential (VEP) reflects the functional integrity of the visual pathways from retinal to occipital striate area. Visual reseptors are sensitive to hypoxemia. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease, in which hypoxemia occurs due to ventilation-perfusion imbalance. We aimed to evaluate the effects of COPD on VEPs.
Methods: Thirty eight COPD patients and 17 healthy control subjects were accepted to the study. Pulmonary function tests were performed to all the participants. VEP of all participants were recorded.
Results: P1 (P100) values of both right and left eyes (p=0.008 and p=0.010, respectively) and N2 value of right eye (p=0.030) were significantly higher in COPD patients than the control group. As there was just 1 female COPD patient, the measurements were re-evaluated for just male subjects. P1 values of both right and left eyes were significantly higher in male COPD patients than male control subjects (p=0.031 and p=0.023, respectively).
Conclusion: VEPs, particularly P1 value, alters in COPD patients. This change in VEPs was thought to be due to hypoxemia caused by ventilation-perfusion imbalance in COPD.