Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0002-5955-7992

Document Type

Article

Disciplines

Ophthalmology

Publication Details

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36705715/

https://doi.org/doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001973

Kobia-Acquah E, Flitcroft DI, Lingham G, Paudel N, Loughman J. Choroidal Thickness Profiles and Associated Factors in Myopic Children. Optom Vis Sci. 2023 Jan 1;100(1):57-66.

Abstract

SIGNIFICANCE: This study addresses the lack of choroidal thickness (ChT) profile information available in European children and provides a baseline for further evaluation of longitudinal changes in ChT profiles in myopic children as a potential biomarker for myopia treatment and identifying children at risk of myopic progression.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate ChT profiles and associated factors in myopic children.

METHODS: Baseline data of 250 myopic children aged 6 to 16 years in the Myopia Outcome Study of Atropine in Children clinical trial were analyzed. Choroidal thickness images were obtained using swept-source optical coherence tomography (DRI-OCT Triton Plus; Topcon Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). The macula was divided into nine Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study locations with diameters of 1, 3, and 6 mm corresponding to the central fovea, parafoveal, and perifoveal regions. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate determinants of ChT.

RESULTS: Choroidal thickness varied across themacular Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study locations (P < .001): thickest in the perifoveal superior region (mean ± standard deviation, 249.0 ± 60.8 μm) and thinnest in the perifoveal nasal region (155.1 ± 50.3 μm). On average, ChT was greater in all parafoveal (231.8 ± 57.8 μm) compared with perifoveal (218.1 ± 49.1 μm) regions except superiorly where the ChT was greater in the perifoveal region. Longer axial length and higher myopic spherical equivalent refraction were consistently associated with thinner ChT at all locations in the multiple linear regression models. Asian race was significantly associated with thinner ChT only at parafoveal and perifoveal superior regions after Bonferroni correction (P = .004 and P = .001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Choroidal thickness was thinnest in the nasal macular region and varied systematically across all macular locations, with axial length and spherical equivalent refraction being the strongest determinants of ChT. Longitudinal evidence will need to evaluate whether any differences in ChT profiles are predictive of myopic progression and to determine the role of ChT measurements in identifying myopic children most in need of myopia control treatment.

DOI

https://doi.org/doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001973

Funder

Health Research Board (MRCG 2016-13; to JL) and Topcon Europe Medical B.V. (to JL)


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