Association of low birth weight with myopic refractive error and lower visual acuity in adulthood: results from the population-based Gutenberg Health Study (GHS)

Fieß, Achim; Schuster, Alexander K.; Nickels, Stefan; Elflein, Heike M.; Schulz, Andreas; Beutel, Manfred E.; Blettner, Maria; Pfeiffer, Norbert

doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-311774

Cited by 30 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(30 reference statements)

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“…The birth weight data distribution of our cohort was compared to distributions reported in medical literature and governmental data. 14,22 Poisson regression analysis was performed assessing the association of the different birth weight groups (birth weight <2500 g, birth weight between 2500 and 4000 g, birth weight >4000 g) with the binary variables AMD, early AMD, late AMD, and incident AMD. In model 1, the main outcome measures were tested in a univariate analysis with birth weight as independent variable; in model 2 these measures were adjusted for age (years) and sex (female); in model 3 adjustments for age (years), sex (female), SES, smoking (yes), arterial hypertension (yes), BMI (kg/m 2 ), refraction (spherical equivalent in diopter), lowdensity lipoprotein (mg/dL), high-density lipoprotein (mg/dL), and triglycerides (mg/dL) were performed, as reported in medical literature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Every participant was asked at the invitation to the study examination to review his or her records and family album for documentation of birth weight as reported earlier. 13,14 Participants were divided into the three birth weight groups: low birth weight <2500 g (group 1); normal birth weight with birth weight between 2500 and 4000 g (group 2); and high birth weight >4000 g (group 3) in accordance with medical literature. 15,16 Additionally, participants with birth weight below 1000 g and above 6000 g were excluded, as these self-reported data were suspected to be unreliable.…”

Section: Birth Weightmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The distribution of birth weight in our cohort was comparable to governmental data documented for the early 1970s 22 as we reported earlier. 14 Assessing birth weight data via self-reported information is the only practical means of getting birth weight data in epidemiological studies. 41 Furthermore, we excluded 40 participants of our analysis with birth weight below 1000 g and above 6000 g because these data were suspected to be unreliable.…”

Section: Strengths and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Low Birth Weight Is Linked to Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Results From the Population-Based Gutenberg Health Study (GHS)

Fieß

Elbaz

Korb

et al. 2019

Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.

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PURPOSE. This study analyzed whether low birth weight is linked to prevalence and incidence of age-related maculopathy (AMD) in adulthood. METHODS. The Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) is a population-based, observational cohort study in Germany. GHS participants at an age from 35 to 74 years were included. An ophthalmologic examination with fundus photography was carried out. Fundus photographs were graded according to the Rotterdam Grading Scheme for AMD at baseline and at the 5year follow-up examination. Participants were divided into three different birth weight groups (low: <2500 g; normal: 2500-4000 g; and high: >4000 g). Poisson regression analysis with adjustment for several confounders was used to assess associations between birth weight and AMD prevalence (overall, early, late AMD) and 5-year cumulative incidence. RESULTS. Overall, 6492 participants were included (3538 female, aged 50.7 6 10.4 years). Prevalence of total AMD was highest in the low birth weight group (11.2%; 40/358) compared to the normal birth weight group (6.5%; 346/5328) and the high birth weight group (8.4%; 68/806). Low birth weight was associated with overall AMD prevalence (prevalence ratio [PR] ¼ 1.54, P ¼ 0.006), and in particular with early AMD prevalence (PR ¼ 1.52; P ¼ 0.01). No association was observed between low birth weight and cumulative 5-year incidence of AMD. CONCLUSIONS. Our analyses indicate that low birth weight may lead to higher prevalence of retinal diseases in later life, as we observed for AMD. Our results are limited due to missing data and loss to follow-up, but may be a first hint that AMD has one of its origins in early life.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Birth Weightmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Strengths and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Low Birth Weight Is Linked to Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Results From the Population-Based Gutenberg Health Study (GHS)

Fieß

Elbaz

Korb

et al. 2019

Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.

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“…The participants were asked to review their records or family albums for documented birth weights; based on this information, they were divided into the following birth weight groups: group 1, low birth weight (<2500 g); group 2, normal birth weight (2500-4000 g); and group 3, high birth weight (>4000 g), as reported earlier. [16][17][18][19] Additionally, participants with birth weights below 1000 g and above 6000 g were excluded, as these self-reported data were suspected to be unreliable.…”

Section: Birth Weightmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of Birth Weight with Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Adulthood—Results from a Population-Based Study

Fieß

Nickels

Urschitz

et al. 2020

Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.

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PURPOSE. Low birth weight is associated with altered retinal development in childhood, including reduced peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness. However, to the best of our knowledge, no population-based study has analyzed the relationship of low birth weight to pRNFL thickness in adulthood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether birth weight has a long-term effect on pRNFL thickness in adulthood. METHODS. In the German population-based Gutenberg Health Study (GHS), participants were examined with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography using a peripapillary scan and automated measurement of pRNFL thickness as a global parameter and in six sectors. The association between self-reported birth weight and the different pRNFL sectors were analyzed with multivariable linear regression, adjusted for potential confounders including sex, age, axial length, self-reported age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. RESULTS. In 3,028 participants, self-reported birth weight was documented and pRNFL measurements were successfully performed (1632 females, ages 54.9 ± 10.0 years). After adjustment for several confounders in the multivariable model, a positive association was observed between birth weight and pRNFL thickness in the global sector (β = 0.13 μm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.08-0.18; P < 0.001; R 2 = 0.007) and especially in the inferotemporal sector (β = 0.22 μm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.15-0.29; P < 0.001; R 2 = 0.008) and inferonasal sector (β = 0.28 μm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.17-0.39; P < 0.001; R 2 = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS. Our data show that there is a weak relationship between birth weight and pRNFL thickness in adulthood. This weak association is particularly present in the inferior part of the optic nerve head. Therefore, low birth weight may have an impact on optic nerve head development and potentially on ocular disease development.

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“…No association between BW and refractive error was found in 12 to 15 year-old adolescent participants in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), although BW was associated with corneal curvature [11]. In adult participants from the population-based 1958 British Birth Cohort [15], myopia was associated with lower BW for gestational age (OR=0.90, P<0.05) and in the populationbased Gutenberg Health Study [16], refractive error was -0.017 D (95% CI -0.011 to -0.023; P<0.001) more myopic per standard deviation reduction in BW.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Association between birth weight and refractive error in adulthood: a Mendelian randomisation study

2019

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BackgroundPathological myopia is one of the leading causes of blindness globally. Lower birth weight (BW) within the normal range has been reported to increase the risk of myopia, although findings conflict. We sought to estimate the causal effect of BW on refractive error using Mendelian randomisation (MR), under the assumption of a linear relationship.MethodsGenetic variants associated with BW were identified from meta-analysis of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for self-reported BW in 162 039 UK Biobank participants and a published Early Growth Genetics (EGG) consortium GWAS (n=26 836). We performed a one-sample MR analysis in 39 658 unrelated, adult UK Biobank participants (independent of the GWAS sample) using an allele score for BW as instrumental variable. A two-sample MR sensitivity analysis and conventional ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses were also undertaken.ResultsIn OLS analysis, BW showed a small, positive association with refractive error: +0.04 D per SD increase in BW (95% CI 0.02 to 0.07; p=0.002). The one-sample MR-estimated causal effect of BW on refractive error was higher, at +0.28 D per SD increase in BW (95% CI 0.05 to 0.52, p=0.02). A two-sample MR analysis provided similar causal effect estimates, with minimal evidence of directional pleiotropy.ConclusionsOur study suggests lower BW within the normal range is causally associated with a more myopic refractive error. However, the impact of the causal effect was modest (range 1.00 D covering approximately 95% of the population).

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Association of low birth weight with myopic refractive error and lower visual acuity in adulthood: results from the population-based Gutenberg Health Study (GHS)

Cited by 30 publications

References 41 publications

Low Birth Weight Is Linked to Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Results From the Population-Based Gutenberg Health Study (GHS)

Low Birth Weight Is Linked to Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Results From the Population-Based Gutenberg Health Study (GHS)

Association of Birth Weight with Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Adulthood—Results from a Population-Based Study

Association between birth weight and refractive error in adulthood: a Mendelian randomisation study

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