Gender differences and delay in presentation of childhood squint.
OBJECTIVE
To assess gender differences and delay in presentation of childhood squint in a tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
It was a series of children presenting with squint at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. We retrospectively studied the cases presenting between February 2000 and July 2007.


RESULTS
A total of 107 children with squint were seen. Of these, 55 (52.4%) were girls. A statistically significant difference was observed between the mean age at presentation (+/- SD) of boys and girls (3 years and 5 months vs 4 years and 5 months p: < 0.05). Girls had a greater mean (SD) and median (range) delay in squint presentation than had boys (2 year 4 months +/- 3 years vs 3 years +/- 2 year 8 months) and 2 year 3 months (1 month to 12 years) vs 1 year 3 months (1 month to 14 years), respectively. Overall amblyopia was present in 25.3% (23/91) children. Girls also had a higher burden of amblyopia compared with their male counterparts though the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.09).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a significant gender difference in age at presentation of childhood squint in our study. Further research is recommended to explore the reasons for this.
Chaudhry
Tanveer A
TA
Section of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Khan
Aziz
A
Khan
Muhammad Bilal Salman
MB
Ahmad
Khabir
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013285:Strabismus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors