title: Refractive evaluation in children with growth defect.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Growth hormone (GH) is considered essential for postnatal somatic growth, exerting its effects on growth by hepatic production of IGF-I. IGF and other growth factors interact with the developing ocular tissues by influencing the synthesis of the extracellular matrix of the sclera and by inducing angiogenesis. The association between optic nerve hypoplasia, reduced retinal vascularization and GH deficiency (GHD) is well known. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possible influence of congenital GHD on the refraction and on the emmetropization process.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty children with congenital GHD had a thorough ophthalmologic examination, including cycloplegic refraction and axial length measurement. As a control group we enrolled 483 healthy children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In accordance with other epidemiological studies, the control group showed a slightly myopic mean defect; on the contrary, in GHD group we found a hyperopic defect, related to a shorter axial length, with statistically significant differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings emphasise the possible role of growth hormone in ocular development, and its interaction with the physiological process of emmetropization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy. parentin@burlo.trieste.it
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parentin
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perissutti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005123:Eye / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000151:congenital* / Q000188:drug therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D012029:Refraction, Ocular
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone