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Br J Ophthalmol 88:538-542 doi:10.1136/bjo.2003.025411
  • Clinical science
    • Extended reports

The relation between birth size and the results of refractive error and biometry measurements in children

Table 2

Ocular biometry and refraction parameters for different birth parameters

Early life variables No Axial length (mm) Vitreous chamber depth (mm) Lens thickness (mm)
Mean (SD) Adjusted* mean (SD) Mean (SD) Adjusted* mean (SD) Mean (SD) Adjusted* mean (SD)
Birth weight (kg)
<2.5 80 23.17 (0.95) 23.16 (2.16) 16.13 (0.92) 16.09 (2.09) 3.49 (0.20) 3.50 (0.45)
2.5–2.9 343 23.13 (0.85) 23.29 (1.26) 16.05 (0.80) 16.21 (1.21) 3.50 (0.17) 3.49 (0.26)
3.0–3.4 657 23.44 (0.96) 23.41 (0.84) 16.35 (0.91) 16.32 (0.81) 3.48 (0.18) 3.49 (0.18)
3.5–3.9 288 23.67 (1.00) 23.53 (1.44) 16.56 (0.97) 16.44 (1.40) 3.46 (0.17) 3.48 (0.30)
⩾4.0 45 23.45 (0.84) 23.65 (2.39) 16.44 (0.86) 16.56 (2.31) 3.46 (0.17) 3.47 (0.50)
p Value (trend) <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.009 0.25
Reg† coefficient 0.37 0.25 0.35 0.24 −0.03 −0.02
p Value (reg) <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.004 0.18
Head circumference (cm)
<32 67 23.17 (0.93) 23.22 (2.13) 16.09 (0.89) 16.13 (2.05) 3.48 (0.18) 3.51 (0.44)
32–33.9 508 23.24 (0.90) 23.33 (1.11) 16.16 (0.84) 16.25 (1.07) 3.49 (0.18) 3.50 (0.23)
34–35.9 573 23.53 (0.97) 23.44 (1.02) 16.44 (0.95) 16.36 (0.98) 3.48 (0.17) 3.48 (0.21)
36–37.9 93 23.67 (1.02) 23.55 (1.98) 16.58 (1.00) 16.48 (1.91) 3.44 (0.17) 3.47 (0.41)
⩾38 8 23.58 (0.99) 23.66 (3.14) 16.57 (0.66) 16.60 (3.03) 3.44 (0.23) 3.46 (0.65)
p Value (trend) <0.001 0.002 <0.001 0.001 0.07 0.11
Reg coefficient 0.09 0.05 0.09 0.05 −0.005 −0.005
p Value (reg) <0.001 0.004 <0.001 0.002 0.10 0.18
Length at birth (cm)
<47.0 118 23.10 (0.94) 23.28 (1.95) 16.06 (0.92) 16.22 (1.88) 3.49 (0.19) 3.49 (0.40)
47.0–48.9 310 23.24 (0.95) 23.35 (1.18) 16.17 (0.91) 16.27 (1.13) 3.50 (0.18) 3.49 (0.24)
49.0–50.9 531 23.44 (0.92) 23.41 (0.87) 16.35 (0.89) 16.33 (0.84) 3.48 (0.17) 3.49 (0.18)
51.0–52.9 253 23.65 (1.01) 23.47 (1.40) 16.54 (0.96) 16.38 (1.35) 3.46 (0.17) 3.48 (0.29)
⩾53 67 23.53 (0.84) 23.54 (2.23) 16.44 (0.79) 16.44 (2.15) 3.50 (0.15) 3.48 (0.46)
p Value (trend) <0.001 0.022 <0.001 0.04 0.14 0.66
Reg coefficient 0.06 0.02 0.06 0.02 −0.003 −0.001
p Value (reg) <0.001 0.044 <0.001 0.05 0.14 0.66
Gestational age (weeks)
<37 85 23.31 (0.92 23.29 (2.05 16.21 (0.89 16.21 (1.98 3.52 (0.19 3.50 (0.42)
37.0–38.9 454 23.33 (0.96 23.35 (1.07 16.25 (0.92 16.27 (1.03 3.48 (0.17 3.49 (0.22)
39.0–40.9 649 23.44 (0.96 23.42 (1.00 16.35 (0.92 16.34 (0.97 3.48 (0.18 3.48 (0.21)
41.0–42.9 58 23.46 (0.98 23.49 (1.95 16.34 (0.99 16.41 (1.88 3.47 (0.21 3.47 (0.58)
⩾43 2 24.12 (1.17 23.56 (3.08 17.44 (0.94 16.48 (2.98 3.33 (0.18 3.46 (0.64)
p Value (trend) 0.04 0.05 0.03 0.05 0.14 0.20
Reg coefficient 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.04 −0.008 0.008
p Value (reg) 0.014 0.028 0.01 0.017 0.016 0.027
Early life variables No Anterior chamber depth (mm) Radius of corneal curvature (mm) Refractive error (D)
*Mean and regression coefficients adjusted for age, sex, school, parental myopia, height, and gestation (except in the analysis of gestational age data). All regression coefficients are derived from a single linear regression model with the ocular parameter as the dependent variable and birth variable as the independent variable, adjusted for age, sex, school, height, parental myopia, and gestation (except in the analysis of gestational age data). For example, in the multiple linear regression model with birth weight as the independent variable, for every 1 kg increase in birth weight, the axial length is 0.25 mm greater.
†Reg, regression.
Birth weight (kg)
<2.5 80 3.55 (0.28) 3.57 (0.69) 7.65 (0.20) 7.66 (0.60) −0.66 (1.80) −0.52 (4.15)
2.5–2.9 343 3.58 (0.29) 3.58 (0.40) 7.69 (0.24) 7.71 (0.35) −0.35 (1.51) −0.52 (2.41)
3.0–3.4 657 3.61 (0.26) 3.60 (0.27) 7.76 (0.25) 7.76 (0.23) −0.52 (1.74) −0.52 (1.61)
3.5–3.9 288 3.64 (0.27) 3.61 (0.46) 7.82 (0.23) 7.81 (0.40) −0.67 (1.80) −0.52 (2.77)
⩾4.0 45 3.55 (0.26) 3.62 (0.76) 7.83 (0.25) 7.86 (0.66) −0.24 (1.17) −0.51 (4.58)
p Value (trend) 0.008 0.26 <0.001 <0.001 0.36 0.98
Reg coefficient 0.05 0.04 0.11 0.10 −0.08 0.02
p Value (reg) 0.002 0.08 <0.001 <0.001 0.41 0.84
Head circumference (cm)
<32 67 3.60 (0.27) 3.58 (0.68) 7.65 (0.22) 7.69 (0.59) −0.68 (1.74) −0.52 (4.04)
32–33.9 508 3.59 (0.29) 3.59 (0.36) 7.72 (0.24) 7.73 (0.31) −0.40 (1.60) −0.52 (2.12)
34–35.9 573 3.61 (0.26) 3.60 (0.33) 7.78 (0.24) 7.77 (0.28) −0.59 (1.74) −0.52 (1.94)
36–37.9 93 3.65 (0.30) 3.60 (0.64) 7.82 (0.28) 7.81 (0.55) −0.55 (1.74) −0.52 (3.76)
⩾38 8 3.58 (0.36) 3.61 (1.01) 7.89 (0.17) 7.86 (0.88) −0.55 (1.50) −0.52 (5.98)
p Value (trend) 0.09 0.59 <0.001 <0.001 0.39 0.98
Reg coefficient 0.008 0.003 0.03 0.02 −0.02 0.01
p Value (reg) 0.11 0.56 <0.001 <0.001 0.54 0.76
Length at birth (cm)
<47.0 118 3.56 (0.29) 3.57 (0.62) 7.66 (0.24) 7.69 (0.54) −0.41 (1.56) −0.62 (3.71)
47.0–48.9 310 3.58 (0.28) 3.58 (0.37) 7.70 (0.23) 7.72 (0.33) −0.55 (1.73) −0.57 (2.23)
49.0–50.9 531 3.60 (0.27) 3.59 (0.28) 7.77 (0.24) 7.76 (0.24) −0.49 (1.71) −0.51 (1.66)
51.0–52.9 253 3.65 (0.27) 3.61 (0.45) 7.81 (0.24) 7.80 (0.39) −0.64 (1.70) −0.46 (2.66)
⩾53 67 3.59 (0.29) 3.62 (0.71) 7.83 (0.27) 7.83 (0.62) −0.46 (1.53) −0.41 (4.24)
p Value (trend) 0.004 0.24 <0.001 <0.001 0.50 0.31
Reg coefficient 0.007 0.002 0.02 0.01 −0.008 0.02
p Value (reg) 0.03 0.53 <0.001 <0.001 0.68 0.30
Gestational age (weeks)
<37 85 3.57 (0.26) 3.58 (0.65) 7.74 (0.25) 7.72 (0.57) −0.29 (1.73) −0.39 (3.90)
37.0–38.9 454 3.59 (0.28) 3.59 (0.34) 7.73 (0.24) 7.74 (0.30) −0.48 (1.70) −0.47 (2.03)
39.0–40.9 649 3.60 (0.26) 3.60 (0.32) 7.76 (0.24) 7.76 (0.28) −0.58 (1.72) −0.56 (1.91)
41.0–42.9 58 3.65 (0.32) 3.61 (0.62) 7.80 (0.27) 7.78 (0.54) −0.38 (1.37) −0.65 (3.70)
⩾43 2 3.35 (0.04) 3.62 (0.98) 7.75 (0.23) 7.81 (0.86) −2.66 (4.83) −0.72 (5.86)
p Value (trend) 0.30 0.41 0.03 0.03 0.16 0.21
Reg coefficient 0.0069 0.005 0.01 0.01 −0.045 −0.039
p Value (reg) 0.18 0.31 0.03 0.032 0.16 0.22

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