Central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure in premature infants

Abstract

To evaluate the central corneal thickness (CCT) and intraocular pressure (IOP) of premature infants and to document correlation of them with gestational age, chronological age, and birth weight of infants. Using a hand-held applanation tonometer and a portable pachymeter, IOP and CCT of 170 premature infants were measured just before initial retinopathy of prematurity screening examination and re-measured 4 weeks after the first visit. The CCT and IOP were positively correlated during the first (r = 0.616, p < 0.001) and second (r = 0.564, p < 0.001) visits. The mean CCT at first and second visits were 568.1 ± 22.1 (527-628) and 561.6 ± 21.4 (520-619) µm, consecutively (p < 0.001). Gestational age, chronological age and birth weight of infants were found to be negatively correlated with CCT at first (r = -0.751, p < 0.001; r = -0.745, p < 0.001; r = -0.581, p < 0.001, consecutively) and second (r = -0.729, p < 0.001; r = -0.729, p < 0.001; r = -0.555, p < 0.001, consecutively) visits. The mean IOP at first and second visits were 14.1 ± 1.9 (11-19) and 13.7 ± 1.7 (11-18) mmHg, consecutively (p < 0.001). Gestational age, chronological age, and birth weight of infants were found to be negatively correlated with IOP at first (r = -0.724, p < 0.001; r = -0.715, p < 0.001; r = -0.558, p < 0.001, consecutively) and second (r = -0.704, p < 0.001; r = -0.703, p < 0.001; r = -0.518, p < 0.001, consecutively) visits. CCT and IOP of the premature infants with a smaller gestational age were found to be higher (p < 0.001 for both). Premature infants with smaller gestational age have higher CCT and IOP values when compared to older infants. These values tend to become lower 4 weeks after the first examination as infants become older. The CCT and IOP were positively correlated with each other and both were negatively correlated with gestational age, chronological age, and birth weight during first and second visits.

Central corneal thickness changes and horizontal corneal diameter in premature infants

“…[5] However, Karahan et al [8] found that CCT did not correlate with gestational age or birth weight in their cross-sectional study. The CCT in Sekeroglu et al [13] was negatively correlated with gestational age and birth weight. Ng et al [24] was the only other study that found strong negative association between IOP and postconceptive age, head circumference, body weight, and body length.…”

“…We found a similar trend for each individual infant over the course of this study. To date, 6 longitudinal studies [3,7,13,16,19] have reported a range of mean values (Table 1). These differences may reflect the differences in racial groups as well as the mean gestational age of the infants in different cohorts.…”

Intraocular Pressure and Central Corneal Thickness in Premature Newborns: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

“…13 Other research teams did longitudinal studies of IOP in premature newborns to follow its changes with their maturation. 2,[16][17][18][19][20][21] All of the studies showed a statistically significant (p<0.01) decline of IOP values with a negative correlation between the postconceptual age and birth weight of the infants. Only Choo et al did not find a statistically significant difference in IOP between premature and full-term newborns.…”

“…Sekeroglu et al were the first team to do a longitudinal study and track both values of IOP and CCT at different postconceptual ages in the same infant. 18 Their results showed a positive correlation between CCT and IOP. Acar and colleagues later became the other team to show similar results.…”

Distribution of corneal thickness and its determinants in 6–12-year-old children in an Iranian general population

“…Few studies have addressed corneal thickness and its determinants in children in recent years 4, 5, 6, 7. These studies have shown that congenital diseases, race and ethnicity, body mass index, nutritional status, gestational age at birth, refractive errors, and corneal curvature radius are the most important determinants of central and paracentral corneal thicknesses 4, 8, 9, 10…”