title: Geographical distribution of optic nerve hypoplasia and septo-optic dysplasia in Northwest England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the distribution of septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) and optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) in the Greater Manchester and Lancashire (GM&L) region of Northwest England, and to analyze occurrence by location and over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based incidence study was undertaken for cases of SOD/ONH from GM&L. Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for each district, relationships between SIRs and possible geographically varying risk factors, and spatial and space-time clustering were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-seven cases had a confirmed diagnosis of ONH/SOD giving an incidence of 10.9/100,000 per year in GM&L. SIRs ranged widely but were significantly elevated (lower confidence limit >100) in three districts: 167%, 192%, and 198%, respectively. All three were high population density, inner-city locations. SIRs were significantly correlated with higher rates of unemployment (r = 0.49, P = .01), dependent children in non-earning households (r = 0.47, P = .02), underage conceptions (r = 0.46, P = .02), and underage pregnancies (r = 0.44, P = .03). There was no evidence of spatial or space-time clustering.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of ONH/SOD in GM&L was higher than that reported elsewhere. Cases were more common in areas that had higher unemployment and teenage pregnancy rates.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Child Health, The University of Manchester, Booth Hall Children's Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom. lp@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Richard J Q
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: I Christopher
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Clayton
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D025962:Septo-Optic Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors