Longitudinal analysis of axial length growth in a German cohort of healthy children and adolescents

Abstract

Purpose To generate continuous growth curves for axial length (AL) in German children. We hypothesise that percentile curves of AL can be used as a predictive measure of myopia. Methods In this longitudinal and cross‐sectional LIFE Child Study, children’s non‐cycloplegic refraction data was collected using the Zeiss i.Profiler plus while AL was measured using the Haag‐Streit Lenstar. Reference growth curves were estimated as a continuous non‐parametric function of age. Results Data from 4511 visits of 1965 participants (1021 boys and 944 girls) between 3 and 18 years of age were analysed. For all ages and percentiles, the estimated AL was higher in boys than girls. AL differences between boys and girls were most pronounced in the 98th percentile at 3 years of age, being 0.93 mm longer eyes in boys. This difference decreased to 0.21 mm at 18 years of age. While the lower percentiles of AL reach their final value around age 13, the 50th percentile was still increasing by 0.05 mm per year until the end of the observation period. While, in general, children with longer eyes are more likely to develop myopia, this relationship is weaker between the ages of 5 and 8. Conclusion The LIFE Child Study data provides European AL data. In both Germany and China, AL has comparable growth rates when the baseline ALs are compared as percentiles. Thus, percentile curves of AL can be used as a predictive measure for the likelihood of developing as well as the progression of myopia.

A calculator proposal for estimating refractive error after 3 years using the onset biometric values in primary school children: a cohort study

“…In addition, the authors have concluded that the percentile curves of axial length can be used as a predictive measure for the likelihood of developing as well as the progression of myopia. 22 In agreement with the previous reports, the axial length was one of the biometric variables in our generated model in the present study. Sanz Diez et al .…”

“…20 Similarly, Sanz Diez et al 21 have reported a clinical model for the prediction of myopia development based on the creation of percentile curves of axial length in school-aged children from Wuhan in central China (N=12,554). Very recently, Truckenbrod et al 22 have reported correlation curves for axial length by spherical equivalent, age, or gender in German children between 2-18 years of age (N=1965). In addition, the authors have concluded that the percentile curves of axial length can be used as a predictive measure for the likelihood of developing as well as the progression of myopia.…”

Myopietherapie und Prophylaxe mit „Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments“-Brillengläsern

“…3 zeigt eine aus den epidemiologischen Wachstumsdaten von Truckenbrod etal. [28] ermittelteund miteigenen epidemiologischen Erhebungen an deutschen Schulkindern [16,17]…”

“…Zusätzlich zur Refraktion ist bei der Therapiekontrolle auch die regelmäßige und exakte Messung der Achslänge unerlässlich. Durch das Eintragen dieser Werte in die Perzentilenkurven von Tideman et al [27] oder Truckenbrod et al [28] kann der Verlauf des individuellen Myopierisikos und damit die Wirksamkeit der Myopietherapie beurteilt werden.…”

Optometrische Schulreihenuntersuchungen

“…Es findet sich der aus der Literatur bekannte Unterschied, dass in derselben Altersklasse Augen von Jungen signifikant länger sind als die von Mädchen [21,22].…”