Functional changes after treatment of optic pathway paediatric low-grade gliomas

Abstract

To evaluate the functional changes after treatment of paediatric optic pathway gliomas (OPGs). All patients with monofocal OPG seen from January 2004 to January 2011 were included. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA, LogMAR), contrast sensitivity (Hiding-Heidi low-contrast 'face' test (HH) and Pelli-Robson (PR) contrast sensitivity test), and the Color Test (Ishihara plate) were obtained. Twenty-one patients (10 boys and 11 girls with a mean age of 5.5 ± 4.4 years at diagnosis) were included in the study. Neurofibromatosis was present in four cases. Eighteen patients (85.7%) were treated with initial surgery and three patients (14.3%) with initial chemotherapy. BCVA was 0.67 ± 0.8 LogMAR at baseline and 0.62 ± 0.9 LogMAR at last visit (P=0.41). The Color test was not significantly changed at last visit (P=0.62). Contrast sensitivity with the HH test was 9.1 ± 11.1% at baseline and 3.8 ± 6.4% at last visit (P=0.03). Contrast sensitivity with PR chart was 1.33 ± 0.9 log at baseline and 1.05 ± 0.7 log at last visit (P=0.005). A reduction in contrast sensitivity at both tests was significantly greater in patients who relapsed than in patients who did not relapse (P=0.001). After the treatment of paediatric optic pathway low-grade gliomas, a reduction in contrast sensitivity during follow-up was observed and may be correlated with tumour relapses.