Objective: To examine the reliability of Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm Fast (SITA Fast) visual fields (VFs) in prepubertal idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and to compare whether age, gender, or severity of visual outcome influenced the reliability of VF tests.
Design: Prospective, longitudinal cohort study.
Participants: Twenty-six prepubertal children (<11 years of age; mean age, 7.2 years) with IIH.
Testing: Children were prospectively followed up using a child-oriented program, which included SITA Fast VF tests. Age, gender, and severity of visual outcome were correlated with reliability of performance on SITA Fast VFs using a 1-way analysis of variance, point-biserial correlation, and the chi-square test for independence of observation.
Main outcome measures: Statistical analyses results that correlated the reliability of SITA Fast VFs with age, gender, and visual outcome.
Results: Three children were treated at the age of 2 years and were unable to perform automated VF tests. Four children were treated at the age of 4 years, 3 of whom were able to perform repeatable reliable SITA Fast VF tests. Forty-two eyes of 21 children had an average SITA Fast test time of 4.5 minutes for each eye, compared with 8 minutes using the Fastpac strategy. Age was not associated with reliability scores of SITA Fast tests (F = 0.971, not significant [ns]). Gender did not influence the reliability of SITA Fast VF tests (chi-square((1)) = 0.669, ns), nor did severity of visual outcome (chi-square((2)) = 3.348, ns). Visual deficits were observed in 55% of patients at presentation and in 27% of patients after resolution of papilledema.
Conclusions: The SITA Fast VF tests can be performed from age 4 years and offer a reliable method for shortening test time. A child-oriented follow-up program, which entails a shortened testing time, may improve outcome in prepubertal IIH.