Journal of Ophthalmic & Vision Research (Jan 2013)

Multifocal Electroretinography after High Dose Chloroquine Therapy for Malaria

  • Aline Correa de Carvalho,
  • Martin Schwarz,
  • Givago da Silva Souza,
  • Bruno Duarte Gomes,
  • Alexandre Antônio Marques Rosa,
  • Ana Maria Revoredo da Silva Ventura,
  • José Maria de Souza,
  • Luiz Carlos de Lima Silveira,
  • Jan Kremers

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 3
pp. 193 – 198

Abstract

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Purpose: To investigate changes in multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) parameters associated with high dose chloroquine therapy for treatment of malaria in the Amazonia region of Brazil. Methods: Forty-eight subjects who had received chloroquine treatment for single or multiple malaria infections with a cumulative dose ranging from 1,050 to 27,000mg were included. The control group consisted of 37 healthy aged-matched subjects. Data was collected on amplitude and implicit time of the N1, P1 and N2 waves in the central macular hexagon (R1) and in five concentric rings at different retinal eccentricities (R2-R6). Results: No significant difference was observed in any mfERG parameter between chloroquine treated patients and control subjects. A comparison with previous data obtained from patients with rheumatologic disorders in the same region of Brazil who had received larger cumulative doses of chloroquine and had displayed mfERG changes, indicated that retinal toxicity seems to be dependent on cumulative dose. Conclusion: Lack of mfERG changes in the current study suggests that intensive high dose chloroquine therapy for treatment of malaria is not associated with retinal toxicity.

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