Choroidal Thickness in Children with Beta Thalassemia Major
Ali Simsek1, Mehmet Tekin, Semsettin Bilak
1*MD Departments of Ophthalmology (AS, SB, ASK) and Pediatrics (MT, CK, HA), School of Medicine, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman, Turkey.
Insights
Children with beta thalassemia major (β-TM) have significantly thinner choroids. This choroidal thinning may contribute to eye disorders in older β-TM patients.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
- Hematology
Background:
- Beta thalassemia major (β-TM) is a genetic blood disorder requiring lifelong treatment.
- Ocular complications can arise in β-TM patients, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.
- Choroidal thickness is a key indicator of ocular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential differences in choroidal thickness among children diagnosed with beta thalassemia major (β-TM).
- To explore correlations between choroidal thickness and various clinical and laboratory parameters in pediatric β-TM patients.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 35 children with β-TM and 38 healthy controls (ages 3-16) underwent comprehensive eye examinations.
- Choroidal thickness was measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
- Statistical analyses assessed correlations between choroidal thickness and parameters like hemoglobin, ferritin, and treatment history.
Main Results:
- Children with β-TM exhibited significantly thinner choroids across all measured quadrants compared to healthy controls.
- No significant differences were found in visual acuity, intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, or axial length between groups.
- Choroidal thickness positively correlated with hemoglobin levels and negatively with ferritin levels.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric patients with β-TM demonstrate reduced choroidal thickness.
- This finding suggests that choroidal thinning may be an early indicator or contributing factor to ocular pathology in β-TM.
- Further research is warranted to understand the long-term implications of choroidal changes in β-TM.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are differences in choroidal thickness in children with beta thalassemia major (β-TM).
Methods:
Thirty-five patients with β-TM and 38 healthy children aged between 3 and 16 years participated in the study. After complete eye examinations were conducted on the participants, choroidal thickness measurements were performed using optical coherence tomography. Correlations between choroidal thickness and laboratory and clinical parameters, such as age, sex, hemoglobin and ferritin levels, duration of disease, type and duration of chelating therapy, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, and axial length were also evaluated.
Results:
The mean ages for the study group and for the control group were 8.2 ± 2.7 and 7.9 ± 2.4 years, respectively. There were no statistical differences between groups in terms of visual acuity, intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, or axial length (p > 0.05). Choroidal thicknesses at the foveal center were 286 ± 33 μm in β-TM patients and 335 ± 423 μm in the healthy control children. Choroidal thicknesses at each point within the horizontal nasal and temporal quadrants were thinner in the β-TM group. There was a positive correlation between choroidal thickness and hemoglobin levels and a negative correlation between choroidal thickness and ferritin levels (r = 0.924, p < 0.001 and r = -0.947, p < 0.001, respectively). There was no correlation between clinical or ocular characteristics and choroidal thickness.
Conclusions:
Choroidal thickness was significantly thinner in all quadrants in children with β-TM. This thinning of the choroid may be the reason for the development of eye disorders in older patients with β-TM.
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