The relationship of birth weight, gestational age, and postmenstrual age with ocular biometry parameters in premature infants

Abstract

Preterm birth is a significant public health concern, as it is associated with a high risk of infant mortality, various morbidities in both the neonatal period and later age, and significant socio-economic difficulties (1,2) . Prematurely born children are disadvantaged in terms of perinatal mortality and long-term growth (3)(4)(5) , and they have low birth weight and shorter eyes as compared with full-term children (6,7) . ABSTRACTPurpose: To analyze ocular biometry parameters and evaluate their relationship with gestational age, birth weight, and postmenstrual age in prematurely born infants. Methods:The right eyes of 361 premature infants born before the 36th gestational week were evaluated. Birth weight, gestational week, and gender were recorded. An A-scan Biometer was used for obtaining axial measurements, including anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous length, and total axial length. Results: Gestational age and birth weight values ranged from 23 to 36 weeks and from 560 to 2,670 g, respectively. The mean gestational age and birth weight were 30.8 ± 2.8 weeks and 1,497.9 ± 483.6 g, respectively. During the first examination (4-5 weeks of postnatal age), birth weight and gestational age of the infants correlated significantly and positively with lens thickness, vitreous length, and axial length (r>0.5, p<0.001), but not with anterior chamber depth (r<0.5). Increased vitreous and axial lengths correlated significantly with increasing postmenstrual age of the infants (r=0.669, p<0.001; r=0.845, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Lens thickness, vitreous length, and axial length, but not anterior chamber depth, were significantly correlated with birth weight and gestational age. All four parameters increased with increasing postmenstrual age, with higher correlations for vitreous and axial lengths than for anterior chamber depth and lens thickness. It was concluded that axial elongation resulted primarily from increasing posterior chamber length. At present, ultrasound and optical biometry (partial coherence laser interferometry) are used to measure intraocular distances. Ho wever, eye measurements in newborns are only possible using ul tra sonic methods. Ultrasound biometry, commonly referred to as A-scan and B-scan, is utilized for diagnostic testing and biometric mea surements (8) . A-scan ultrasonography provides a one-dimensional measurement of length in the axial plane. Additionally, it facilitates the monitoring The relationship of birth weight, gestational age, and postmenstrual age with ocular biometry parameters in premature infants A relação entre o peso ao nascer, idade gestacional e idade pós-menstrual com a biometria ocular em bebês prematuros Keywords

Ocular Growth and Refractive Status Development in Premature Infants Conceived by In Vitro Fertilization or Natural Conception

“…With the increase of PA, the ACD, LT, VT and AL increased gradually. This finding was similar to previous ones [21][22][23]. Anne Cook [21] Correlation between CCT and PA. PA, postmenstrual age; CCT, central corneal thickness.…”

Changes in Relative Position of Choroidal Versus Retinal Vessels in Preterm Infants

“…During this period, axial length is known to continue to increase with stable rate. 18 – 20 Therefore, our finding also suggests that choroidal growth is not in parallel with eyeball growth during this period.…”

Study of the Biological Developmental Characteristics of the Eye in Children After Laser Surgery for the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity

“…Thus, the younger the gestational age at birth, the slower the development of the eye axis in preterm children, the shorter the eye axis, and the poorer visual acuity development compared to those in full-term infants. Ozdemir et al ( 8 ) reported a lower gestational age at birth was associated with poorer visual acuity development in preterm children. Their analysis of gestational age at birth, and ocular biological parameters showed that gestational age at birth was positively correlated with anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and ocular axis length, with a higher correlation with the eye axis length.…”

“…Thus, birth gestational age has a large impact on the development of the biological structures of the anterior segment as well as the development of the refractive state. However, the main factors affecting refractive error in children after ROP laser surgery have not been clarified ( 7 , 8 ).…”