title: Comparing central corneal thickness in a sub-Saharan cohort to African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the central corneal thickness (CCT) of Africans in a glaucoma practice in a university teaching hospital in West Nigeria, Africa, and compare results with similar studies carried out in African American and Afro-Caribbean populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  CCT was measured by means of ultrasound pachymetry (pachymeter used was Micropach 200 P+ Pachymeter; Sonomed) in only African participants with either glaucomatous or healthy eyes. After instillation of topical anesthetic, 3 measurements of corneal thickness were taken, and the average thickness for each was calculated. The relationship between CCT and age was studied using correlation analyses and t tests. A total of 70 eyes were included for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean CCT of all participants was 532.00 microm. Glaucoma suspects and patients with glaucoma had corneas thinner than those of normal participants (527.36 and 536.91 microm, respectively); however, the difference was not significant (P = 0.296). Decreasing values of CCT were significantly related to older age (P = 0.002). Men had a significantly higher CCT than women (P = 0.035).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCT values in African populations are less than those of whites. Decreasing values of CCT are significantly related to older age, and men have thicker corneas than women. There is a suggestion that CCT is lower in patients with glaucoma than in nonglaucomatous controls; however, the difference is not statistically significant. Comparing our results to other studies in literature, it seems that average CCT is similar between populations living in sub-Saharan Africa and African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans.
authors.affiliation: Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom. doctormercieca@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mercieca
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Odogu
authors.forename: Bassey
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fiebai
authors.forename: Olu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arowolo
authors.forename: Favour
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chukwuka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People / Q000208:ethnology*; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D003315:Cornea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D001741:Black or African American