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Abstract
We investigated the possible subclinical involvement of the optic nerve and higher visual pathways in Behçet's disease by assessing the P100 wave in pattern-reversal visual evoked potential (PVEP) recordings. Alterations of amplitude and latency of the P100 wave were evaluated in 82 eyes of 48 patients who showed ocular signs with posterior segment involvement (ocular Behçet group) and in 42 eyes of 21 patients who manifested no signs of ocular involvement (non-ocular Behçet group). The results were compared with the PVEP recordings of 44 eyes of 22 age-matched healthy subjects (control group). Only two eyes (2.4%) of patients with ocular Behçet's disease had an undetectable P100 wave, whereas all eyes of patients with non-ocular Behçet's and all eyes of healthy subjects had a clearly identified P100 wave. Statistical evaluation of P1 00 wave latency showed no significant differences when comparing each group (p<0.05, Student's t test), although ten eyes (12.5%) often patients with retinal vasculitis in the ocular Behçet group and two eyes (4.8%) of one patient in the non-ocular Behçet group had delayed latencies (<1 16.5 ms). The P100 wave amplitudes in the ocular Behçet group were significantly subnormal (0.01<p<0.001, Student's t test). Temporal frequencies of the PVEP were studied at 0.5, 1, 2,3,4,5,6.5,7.5,10, and 15 Hz in subjects of each group. The lower flicker frequency stimuli response was decreased in the ocular Behçet group (p<0.01), but not in the non-ocular Behçet group, whose results were comparable to the control group. We concluded that alterations of the P100 wave and temporal frequency of PVEPs in Behçet's disease are mainly caused by retinal involvement.