Incidence and types of childhood exotropia: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence and types of childhood exotropia in a defined population.


METHODS
Retrospective, population-based cohort.


METHODS
All pediatric (<19 years old) residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota diagnosed with an exodeviation (>or=10 prism diopters) from January 1, 1985 through December 31, 1994.


METHODS
The medical records of all potential patients identified by the resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project were reviewed.


METHODS
Incidence and types of childhood exotropia.


RESULTS
Two hundred five cases of childhood exotropia were identified during the 10-year period, yielding an annual age- and gender-adjusted incidence of 64.1 (95% confidence interval: 55.2-72.9)/100,000 patients younger than 19 years. This rate corresponds to a prevalence of approximately 1.0% of all children younger than 11 years, with a significant decrease in the incidence during the second decade of life (P<0.001). Eighty-six percent of the children had intermittent exotropia, convergence insufficiency, or an exotropia in the setting of an abnormal central nervous system.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of childhood exotropia from this population-based study is comparable to the prevalence rates in prior reports. Exotropia is most prevalent during the first decade of life, with intermittent exotropia and convergence insufficiency occurring most frequently.
Govindan
Malu
M
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Mohney
Brian G
BG
Diehl
Nancy N
NN
Burke
James P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005099:Exotropia / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution