The evolutionary change of flash visual evoked potentials in preterm infants with periventricular leukomalacia

Objective The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate flash visual evoked potential (VEP) findings and their chronological changes in preterm infants with cystic periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) during the early neonatal period. Methods The subjects of this study were 14 preterm infants with cystic PVL. The patients underwent serial cranial ultrasonography and diagnosed as having cystic PVL. Flash VEPs were diagnosed at least twice within the first 3 weeks of life. Results All infants had at least one or more flash VEP abnormalities. The most common finding was ‘absent VEP’, which was seen in 13 infants (93%). ‘Delayed latency’ was seen in two infants and ‘abnormal waveform’ was seen in one infant. Concerning the chronological changes, all records were abnormal in 4 infants, and the other 10 had transient normal VEP findings. Among them, flash VEPs changed from normal to abnormal within 10 days after birth in most cases. Conclusions Almost all infants with cystic PVL had abnormal flash VEPs within the first 3 weeks of life, but chronological changes of flash VEP findings were seen during the period. Significance This manuscript may be useful as a reference to the flash VEPs in preterm infants with cystic PVL.