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Scleral and choroidal volume in relation to axial length in infants with retinoblastoma versus adults with malignant melanomas or end-stage glaucoma

  • Pathology
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To measure scleral and choroidal volume in eyes of Chinese, and to assess associations with age and axial length.

Methods

We histomorphometrically examined globes from infants and adults which had been enucleated due to retinoblastoma, uveal melanoma, or absolute painful glaucoma. Thickness of sclera and choroid were measured, and volumes were calculated.

Results

The study included 225 globes (mean axial length: 24.6 ± 4.2 mm; range:17.0–35.7 mm; mean age: 30.4 ± 22.6 years; range: 1–83 years). Mean computed scleral volume was 648 ± 136 mm3. Scleral volume in children aged <5 years significantly increased with longer axial length (P = 0.001; correlation coefficient r: 0.42) and older age (P = 0.003; r: 0.39) in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis within the group of children aged ≤2 years, larger scleral volume increased with longer axial length (P = 0.04; standardized correlation coefficient beta: 0.32; correlation coefficient B: 21.6; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.52, 42.7) and showed a statistically non-significant tendency to increase with older age (P = 0.06;b eta: 0.30; B: 56.9; 95% CI: −1.5,115). In individuals aged ≥ 5 years, scleral volume was not significantly associated with axial length (P = 0.75) or age (P = 0.13). Mean choroidal volume as measured and calculated in 95 individuals (age: 16–81 years) was 44.1 ± 14.1 mm3, and was not significantly associated with age (P = 0.47; r: −0.08) or axial length (P = 0.83; r: −0.02).

Conclusions

This study on children eyes with retinoblastoma and adult eyes with malignant melanomas or end-stage glaucoma suggests that primary eye growth up to an age of 2 years is associated with an increase in scleral volume. After the age of 2 years, scleral volume and choroidal volume remain unchanged, leading to scleral and choroidal thinning with longer axial length, in particular at the posterior pole.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

    Ling Shen, Qi Sheng You, Xiaolin Xu, Fei Gao, Zhibao Zhang & Bin Li

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, 246 Xuefu Road, Harbin, 150086, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Ling Shen

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Jost B. Jonas

  4. Universitäts-Augenklinik, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany

    Jost B. Jonas

Authors
  1. Ling Shen
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  2. Qi Sheng You
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  3. Xiaolin Xu
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  4. Fei Gao
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  6. Bin Li
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  7. Jost B. Jonas
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Bin Li or Jost B. Jonas.

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Funding

The Chinese National Natural Science Foundation (No.81400422) provided financial support. The sponsor had no role in the design or conduct of this research.

Conflict of interest

Jost B. Jonas: consultant for Mundipharma Co. (Cambridge, UK), Alimera Co. (Alpharetta, GA, USA), Boehringer Ingelheim Co. (Ingelheim, Germany), Sanofi Co. (Paris, France), and Allergan Co. (Dublin, Ireland); patent holder with Biocompatibles UK Ltd. (Farnham, Surrey, UK) (title: Treatment of eye diseases using encapsulated cells encoding and secreting neuroprotective factor and / or anti-angiogenic factor; patent number: : 20120263794), and patent application with University of Heidelberg (Heidelberg, Germany) (title: Agents for use in the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of myopia or hyperopia; Europäische Patentanmeldung 15 000 771.4). All other authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge, or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Ethical approval

According to the Declaration of Helsinki, the study protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Beijing Tongren Hospital. All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. In agreement with the approval by the ethics committee, informed consent was not required since the globes had been enucleated up to 50 years before the study was initiated.

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Shen, L., You, Q.S., Xu, X. et al. Scleral and choroidal volume in relation to axial length in infants with retinoblastoma versus adults with malignant melanomas or end-stage glaucoma. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 254, 1779–1786 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-016-3345-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-016-3345-7

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