Intraocular Pressure, Age, and Central Corneal Thickness in a Healthy Chinese Children Population: The Handan Offspring Myopia Study.

Abstract

PURPOSE\nTo assess the distribution and factors related to intraocular pressure (IOP) in a Chinese children population in Northern China.\n\n\nMETHODS\n1,238 offspring aged 6 to 18\xa0years, residing in six villages, were recruited for this current study, the Handan Offspring Myopia Study. Participants underwent an interviewer-administered questionnaire and a complete ocular examination, including standardized measurement of IOP with Perkins applanation tonometry.\n\n\nRESULTS\n1,648 eyes of 828 children were included in the analysis. The mean IOP was 13.9\xa0±\xa01.6\xa0mmHg. The mean IOP for the study population increased from 13.0\xa0±\xa01.5\xa0mmHg for those 6 to 7\xa0years of age to 14.2\xa0±\xa01.4\xa0mmHg for those 15\xa0years of age or older (P <\xa0.001). The mean central corneal thickness (CCT) was 548.7\xa0±\xa032.1\xa0μm, and had no difference among different age groups and gender. In univariate regression analysis, age (0.12\xa0mmHg per 1 year old), height (0.09\xa0mmHg per 5 cm), weight (0.02\xa0mmHg per kg), body mass index (0.07\xa0mmHg per 1 m/kg2), systolic blood pressure (0.06\xa0mmHg per 5\xa0mmHg), CCT (0.06\xa0mmHg per 5\xa0μm), and SE (-0.11\xa0mmHg per 1 D) were correlated with IOP. In multivariate regression analysis, higher IOP was only associated with older ages (p =\xa0.002) and thicker CCT (p =\xa0.001).\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nThe mean IOP in healthy rural Chinese children aged 6-18\xa0years is about 14\xa0mmHg, which is lower than in adults in the same locality. The mean IOP is slightly increasing with age during childhood, which is opposite to the result among adults. Age and CCT are the major independent factors associated with IOP.