Influence of birth parameters on peripapillary nerve fiber layer and macular thickness in six-year-old children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine influences of gestational age and birth parameters on peripapillary nerve fiber layer (NFL) and macular thickness at age six.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
The Sydney Childhood Eye Study examined a random-cluster sample of 1765 six-year-old Sydney school children. Peripapillary NFL and macular thickness were measured (StratusOCT, Zeiss, Dublin, California, USA). Birth parameters were extracted from health records. Multivariate analyses were performed.


RESULTS
Higher birth weight children had greater peripapillary NFL, inner and outer (all P(trend) < 0.03), but not central or average macular thickness (both P(trend) > 0.1). Peripapillary NFL (P(trend) = 0.001), inner (P(trend) = 0.01), outer (P(trend) = 0.002), and average macular thickness (P(trend) = 0.02), but not central macular thickness (P(trend) = 0.5) was greater in children with larger head circumference at birth. The central macula was thicker in prematurely (<37 weeks) born children (195.0 microm) than those born at term (191.2 microm), P = 0.04.


CONCLUSIONS
Birth weight and head circumference predicted peripapillary NFL and macular thickness. Prematurity was weakly associated with central macular thickness.
Wang
Xiu Ying
XY
Vision Co-operative Research Centre, School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Huynh
Son C
SC
Rochtchina
Elena
E
Mitchell
Paul
P
D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence