Objective To investigate the degree of retinal development in preterm infants.MethodsFlash electroretinography (ERG) was performed on 25 healthy preterm infants and 25 full-term ones, and the response of rod cells and cone cells and maximal mixed responses were recorded. The delitescence and amplitudes of a-and b-waves and the ratio of amplitudes of b-/a-wave of maximal responses were analyzed. ResultsCompared with the full-term infants, The delitescence of responses of rod cells in preterm infants was statistically longer（t=11.007，P=0.000）but without any significant changes of amplitudes （t=1.836，P=0.069）; statistically longer delitescence (t=2.44, P=0.010; t=10.800, P=0.000) and lower amplitude (t=5804，P=0.000; t=5.809,P=0.000) of a-and b-wave of maximal response were found in preterm infants group. In the response of cone cells, there were significant differences of the delitescence （t=4.444，P=0.000）and amplitude （t=3.819，P=0.000）of a-wave and delitescence of b-wave（t=2.850，P=0.005） between the two groups, and no statistical difference of amplitude of b-wave （t=0.486，P=0.628） between the two groups. The ratio of amplitudes of b-/a-wave of the maximal mixed response was not significantly different between the two groups （t=1.142，P=0.256）.ConclusionsThe development of retinal function is slower in preterm infants than that in full-term ones.(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2005,21:285-287)

Citation： GUAN Tianqin,SHENG Yanjuan,HUANG Shizhou,et al.. Comparison of electroretinograms between preterm and fullterm infants. Chinese Journal of Ocular Fundus Diseases, 2005, 21(5): 285-287. doi: Copy