title: Corneal properties in children with congenital isolated growth hormone deficiency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the corneal parameters of children with congenital isolated growth hormone deficiency and healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional, prospective study, 50 cases with growth hormone (GH) deficiency treated with recombinant GH and 71 healthy children underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. The corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg) and corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc) were measured with the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA). Central corneal thickness (CCT) was measured by a ultrasonic pachymeter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 13.0±3.0 years in the GH deficiency group consisting of 21 females and 29 males and 13.4±2.4 years in the healthy children group consisting of 41 females and 30 males. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups for gender or age (Chi-square test, P=0.09; independent t-test, P=0.28, respectively). The mean duration of recombinant GH therapy was 3.8±2.4y in the study group. The mean CH, CRF, IOPg and IOPcc values were 11.0±2.0, 10.9±1.9, 15.1±3.3, and 15.1±3.2 mm Hg respectively in the study group. The same values were 10.7±1.7, 10.5±1.7, 15.2±3.3, and 15.3±3.4 mm Hg respectively in the control group. The mean CCT values were 555.7±40.6, 545.1±32.5 µm in the study and control groups respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for CH, CRF, IOPg, IOPcc measurements or CCT values (independent t-test, P=0.315, 0.286, 0.145, 0.747, 0.13 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that GH deficiency does not have an effect on the corneal parameters and CCT values. This observation could be because of the duration between the beginning of disease and the diagnosis and beginning of GH therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Dr Sami Ulus Children's Health and Disease Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 06080, Turkey.
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nalcacioglu-Yuksekkaya
authors.affiliation: Ulucanlar Eye Research Hospital, Ankara 06240, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Ulucanlar Eye Research Hospital, Ankara 06240, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ufuk
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Elgin
authors.affiliation: Ulucanlar Eye Research Hospital, Ankara 06240, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mumin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hocaoglu
authors.affiliation: Ulucanlar Eye Research Hospital, Ankara 06240, Turkey.
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dr Sami Ulus Children's Health and Disease Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 06080, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sebahat Agladıoglu
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dr Sami Ulus Children's Health and Disease Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 06080, Turkey.
authors.forename: Havva Nur
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Kendirci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dr Sami Ulus Children's Health and Disease Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 06080, Turkey.
authors.forename: Semra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cetinkaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dr Sami Ulus Children's Health and Disease Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 06080, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zehra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aycan
keywords: central corneal thickness; child; corneal biomechanical parameters; growth hormone deficiency