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Abstract #99110 Published in IGR 22-4
Optic nerve head morphology in adults born extreme, very and moderate preterm with and without retinopathy of prematurity: Results from the Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study
Fieß A; Gißler S; Mildenberger E; Urschitz MS; Zepp F; Hoffmann EM; Brockmann MA; Stoffelns B; Pfeiffer N; Schuster AKAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology 2022; 239: 212-222
PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate associations of prematurity and associated factors with optic disc morphology in adulthood as long-term effects. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study METHODS: The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES) is a retrospective cohort study with a prospective ophthalmologic examination of adults (age 18-52 years) in Germany. In every participant photography of optic discs was performed with a non-mydriatic fundus camera, and optic disc measurements were done manually. The vertical cup-to-disc-ratio (VCDR), optic disc area and torted and tilted discs were assessed and exploratively compared between individuals with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) with treatment, an ROP group without treatment and groups of individuals of different gestational ages (GA) without ROP (GA ≤ 28 weeks, GA 29 - 32 weeks, GA 33 - 36 weeks and GA ≥ 37 weeks [control group]). RESULTS: The present analysis included 743 eyes of 393 individuals born preterm and full-term (aged 28.4 +/- 8.6 years, 223 females). The VCDR was significantly larger in subjects with a GA ≤ 28 weeks without ROP compared to the full-term control group (GA ≥ 37 weeks) (P = 0.002). Subjects with ROP without treatment also had a larger VCDR (p = 0.001), while those with ROP treatment showed a smaller VCDR than the full-term control group (p = 0.02). In addition, individuals with ROP treatment were more likely to have a torted disc than the full-term control group (P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The present study provides evidence that individuals born extremely preterm have increased VCDR in adulthood. Furthermore, these results indicate that foetal origins affect optic disc morphology until adulthood, which might predispose the affected individual to degenerative optic nerve head diseases or being incorrectly diagnosed to glaucoma.
Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. Electronic address: Achim.fiess@gmail.com.
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