Evaluation of visual evoked potentials in patient with angelmans syndrome - case report

BACKGROUND

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a genetic disorder with varying degrees of neurological impairment. It is often associated with ocular involvement.

CASE REPORT

We present a child diagnosed with AS who had a deletion on the short arm of chromosome 15. The child seemed to be happy, with developmental delay, speech problem, and altering strabismus. To assess the potential presence and degree of damage in the visual pathway, we recorded monocular flash visual evoked potentials (VEPs). Our results revealed the presence of severe central afferent dysfunction in both optical pathways.

CONCLUSION

VEPs can be used in patients with AS and visual disturbances to assess the integrity of the visual system.

Ophthalmic findings in Angelman syndrome

PURPOSE

To provide detailed information about opthalmological findings in a group of patients with Angelman syndrome (AS).

METHODS

Consecutive patients with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of AS were submitted to ophthalmic and orthoptic examinations. Strabismus, visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, and iris and fundus pigmentation were evaluated. Parents were also examined to compare the extent of fundus pigmentation.

RESULTS

A total of 34 patients were identified, representing 3 genetic classes: deletion, uniparental disomy, and mutation. Ametropia >1 D was present in 97% of cases: myopia in 9%, hyperopia in 76%, and astigmatism in 94%. Myopia and anisometropia were found only in the genetic deletion group. Strabismus, most frequently exotropia, was found in 24 patients (75%). Ocular hypopigmentation was observed in 18 subjects (53%), with choroidal involvement in 3 cases and isolated iris involvement in 4. Hypopigmentation was observed in all of the 3 genetic classes.

CONCLUSIONS

Ophthalmic alterations in AS were observed more frequently than has been previously reported, except for ocular hypopigmentation, which was observed less frequently.