The Relationship Between Anthropometric Z-Score Measurements and Ocular Structures in Turkish Children

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatrics
• Anthropometry

Background:

• Anthropometric measurements are crucial for assessing child development.
• Z-scores offer a standardized method to classify anthropometric values, moving beyond traditional percentile curves.
• Understanding the link between body growth and ocular parameters is essential for pediatric eye health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between anthropometric Z-score values (height and BMI) and ocular parameters in children.
• To explore how variations in Z-scores relate to specific biometric and refractive measurements.
• To establish reference Z-score values for identifying potential ocular changes in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• Calculated height and body mass index (BMI) Z-scores for 725 children.
• Recorded biometric and refractive measurements for all participants.
• Grouped children into low, normal, and high Z-score categories based on reference values (-1 and +1.5).
• Compared mean ocular measurements across these Z-score groups.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in axial length (AL) and average corneal radius (CR) were observed from low to high height Z-score groups.
• Average corneal power (CP) significantly decreased with increasing height Z-scores.
• Anterior chamber depth (ACD) increased from normal to high Z-score groups, with no significant difference between low and normal groups.
• No significant associations were found for spherical equivalent refraction (SER), central corneal thickness (CCT), or any BMI Z-score values.

Conclusions:

• Establishing -1 and +1.5 as reference Z-score values for height can help anticipate ocular structural changes in children.
• Monitoring these ocular parameters in relation to height Z-scores may enhance understanding of body development's impact on ocular development.
• Further research can refine the clinical utility of Z-scores in pediatric ophthalmology.