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Macular structural characteristics in children with Down syndrome
Scott O'Brien1, Jingyun Wang2, Heather A Smith1
1Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1160 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
Insights
Children with Down syndrome have thicker maculas than healthy children, indicating altered macular development. This increased central subfield thickness (CST) in Down syndrome maculas was observed despite generally normal visual acuity.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Genetics
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Down syndrome is associated with various ocular abnormalities.
- Macular structure and development in children with Down syndrome require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare macular structural characteristics, specifically central subfield thickness (CST), between children with Down syndrome and healthy controls.
- To investigate potential correlations between CST and visual acuity in children with Down syndrome.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 17 children with Down syndrome and 18 age-matched healthy controls (aged 6-16 years).
- Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) used for high-resolution macular imaging.
- Automated segmentation software analyzed retinal layer thickness, focusing on CST.
Main Results:
- Children with Down syndrome exhibited significantly greater full retina and inner/outer retinal layer thickness compared to controls (p < 0.05).
- Despite increased CST, only 29% of Down syndrome eyes had thickness outside the normal range.
- No significant correlation was found between increased CST and visual acuity in the Down syndrome group (p = 0.202).
Conclusions:
- Children with Down syndrome demonstrate significantly increased macular thickness (CST) on average.
- These findings suggest abnormal macular development in pediatric Down syndrome.
- Further research is warranted to understand the clinical implications of these structural changes.
Purpose:
This prospective study aimed to investigate macular structural characteristics in children with Down syndrome compared to those in healthy children.
Methods:
Two groups of children (aged 6-16 years) were enrolled: children with Down syndrome (Down syndrome group, N = 17) and age-matched healthy children who were full-term at birth (control group, N = 18). Eligible patients had visual acuity of 20/100 or better and gestational age at birth of ≥ 36 weeks. Fourier domain optical coherence tomography was used for imaging of the macular retinal structure, and retinal volume scans centered on the macula were obtained. Central subfield thickness (CST) and the thickness of the inner and outer retinal layer regions were analyzed using the instrument's segmentation software. The analysis of data is provided for the right eye only, since there was no significant difference between right and left eyes for either the Down syndrome or control groups.
Results:
Children in the Down syndrome group generally had identifiable retinal structure. The CST for the full retina and inner and outer retinal layers were all significantly greater in the Down syndrome group than the control group (independent t test, all p < 0.05). Despite the significantly thicker macula, only about 29 % (5 of 17) of the right eyes of patients with Down syndrome had macular thickness outside the normal range. Visual acuity in the Down syndrome group was not directly correlated with increased CST (t = 1.288, r = 0.326, p = 0.202).
Conclusions:
On average, CST in the Down syndrome group was greater than that in the control group, suggesting abnormal macular development in children with Down syndrome.
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