Abstract
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.
Highlights
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease, which is mainly caused by hazardous dusts and particles, smoking, and other environmental and personal risk factors, and presents with partially reversible airway obstruction and air flow limitation
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)
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease, which is mainly caused by hazardous dusts and particles, smoking, and other environmental and personal risk factors, and presents with partially reversible airway obstruction and air flow limitation. When genetically succeptible individuals expose to these risk factors for a long duration and at high doses, chronic inflammation occurs and clinical, physiological and pathological changes of chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema develops [1]. COPD is one of the major causes of chronic respiratory failure. Hypoxemia develops as a result of ventilation/ perfusion imbalance, decreased diffusion capasity and alveolar hypoventilation [2,3]. Hypoxemia augments in the COPD* Control* p P1 right 108.3 ± 8.4 101.8 ± 7.0 P1 left 107.8 ± 7.7 101.7 ± 7.9 N1 right N1 left
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