Achim Fieß1, Alexander K Schuster1, Stefan Nickels1, Michael S Urschitz2, Heike M Elflein1, Andreas Schulz3, Thomas Münzel4, Philipp S Wild3,5,6, Manfred E Beutel7, Irene Schmidtmann8, Karl J Lackner9, Norbert Pfeiffer1. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. 2. Division of Pediatric Epidemiology, Institute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. 3. Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. 4. Center for Cardiology-Cardiology I, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. 5. Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. 6. German Center for Cardiovascular Research, Rhine-Main Partner Site, Mainz, Germany. 7. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. 8. Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Institute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. 9. Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Abstract
Importance: Low birth weight is associated with altered ocular organ development in childhood, including the morphology of the eye. However, no population-based data exist about this association in adulthood. Objective: To evaluate whether low birth weight has a long-term association with anterior segment anatomy and axial length in adulthood. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Gutenberg Health Study is a population-based, observational cohort study in Germany. All participants underwent ocular biometry. Among the participants with follow-up and self-reported birth weight available, associations were assessed between low birth weight and anterior segment anatomy and axial length using multivariable linear regression analysis with adjustment for age and sex. In patients with phakia, anterior chamber depth and lens thickness were also examined. Data for this study were collected from April 27, 2012, through April 28, 2017, and analyzed from January through April 2018. Exposures: Low birth weight. Main Outcomes and Measures: Corneal curvature, central corneal thickness, white-to-white distance, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and axial length. Results: Overall, 11 294 eyes of 7120 participants were included (52.4% female; mean [SD] age, 56.2 [10.3] years). Most of the participants were white (98.6%). After adjustment for age and sex, an association was found between a lower birth weight and steeper corneal curvature (β = 0.005 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.005-0.006 mm/100 g; P < .001), smaller white-to-white distance (β = 0.006 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.005-0.007 mm/100 g; P < .001), thinner central corneal thickness (β = 0.327 μm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.229-0.425 μm/100 g; P < .001), and shorter axial length (β = 0.006 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.003-0.010 mm/100 g; P < .001). However, anterior chamber depth and lens thickness were not associated with low birth weight in participants with phakia (10 510 eyes of 5279 participants). Conclusions and Relevance: These analyses demonstrate an association between low birth weight and altered ocular geometry in adults aged 40 to 80 years, suggesting that birth weight and associated factors are crucial in anatomical ocular morphologic development. Retinopathy of prematurity and its treatment may affect ocular anatomy but could not be further analyzed in this study.
Importance: Low birth weight is associated with altered ocular organ development in childhood, including the morphology of the eye. However, no population-based data exist about this association in adulthood. Objective: To evaluate whether low birth weight has a long-term association with anterior segment anatomy and axial length in adulthood. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Gutenberg Health Study is a population-based, observational cohort study in Germany. All participants underwent ocular biometry. Among the participants with follow-up and self-reported birth weight available, associations were assessed between low birth weight and anterior segment anatomy and axial length using multivariable linear regression analysis with adjustment for age and sex. In patients with phakia, anterior chamber depth and lens thickness were also examined. Data for this study were collected from April 27, 2012, through April 28, 2017, and analyzed from January through April 2018. Exposures: Low birth weight. Main Outcomes and Measures: Corneal curvature, central corneal thickness, white-to-white distance, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and axial length. Results: Overall, 11 294 eyes of 7120 participants were included (52.4% female; mean [SD] age, 56.2 [10.3] years). Most of the participants were white (98.6%). After adjustment for age and sex, an association was found between a lower birth weight and steeper corneal curvature (β = 0.005 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.005-0.006 mm/100 g; P < .001), smaller white-to-white distance (β = 0.006 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.005-0.007 mm/100 g; P < .001), thinner central corneal thickness (β = 0.327 μm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.229-0.425 μm/100 g; P < .001), and shorter axial length (β = 0.006 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.003-0.010 mm/100 g; P < .001). However, anterior chamber depth and lens thickness were not associated with low birth weight in participants with phakia (10 510 eyes of 5279 participants). Conclusions and Relevance: These analyses demonstrate an association between low birth weight and altered ocular geometry in adults aged 40 to 80 years, suggesting that birth weight and associated factors are crucial in anatomical ocular morphologic development. Retinopathy of prematurity and its treatment may affect ocular anatomy but could not be further analyzed in this study.
Authors: Achim Fieß; Kai Schulze; Stephanie D Grabitz; Sandra Gißler; Eva Mildenberger; Michael S Urschitz; Bernhard Stoffelns; Norbert Pfeiffer; Alexander K Schuster Journal: Transl Vis Sci Technol Date: 2022-07-08 Impact factor: 3.048
Authors: Achim Fieß; Stefan Nickels; Michael S Urschitz; Thomas Münzel; Philipp S Wild; Manfred E Beutel; Karl J Lackner; Esther M Hoffmann; Norbert Pfeiffer; Alexander K Schuster Journal: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Date: 2020-07-01 Impact factor: 4.925
Authors: Achim Fieß; Clara Hufschmidt-Merizian; Sandra Gißler; Ulrike Hampel; Eva Mildenberger; Michael S Urschitz; Fred Zepp; Bernhard Stoffelns; Norbert Pfeiffer; Alexander K Schuster Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2022-05-11 Impact factor: 4.964
Authors: Kathleen I C Dyer; Paul G Sanfilippo; Scott W White; Jeremy A Guggenheim; Chris J Hammond; John P Newnham; David A Mackey; Seyhan Yazar Journal: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Date: 2020-12-01 Impact factor: 4.799
Authors: Achim Fieß; Sandra Gißler; Eva Mildenberger; Michael S Urschitz; Agnes Fauer; Heike M Elflein; Fred Zepp; Bernhard Stoffelns; Norbert Pfeiffer; Alexander K Schuster Journal: Children (Basel) Date: 2022-02-18