Myopic axial elongation in school children and the COVID-19 lockdown in Russia: The Ural Children Myopia Study.
PLoS One
; 18(1): e0279020, 2023.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2214782
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
To explore an influence of the COVID-19-related lockdown on ocular axial elongation in school children in Russia.METHODS:
The participants of the school-based Ufa Children Myopia Study in Ufa/Russia underwent, at baseline in 2019/2020 before the COVID-19 outbreak and after a COVID-19-related lockdown, a detailed interview and ophthalmological examination including laser interferometric biometry for axial length measurement.RESULTS:
The study included 461 children (age10.7±2.1 years;range6.8-16.9 years). The mean follow-up was 1.41±0.33 years. Mean axial length at baseline was 23.96±0.95mm and 23.94±0.95mm in the right and left eyes, respectively. During the study period, annual axial elongation (right/left eyes) was 0.19±0.17mm/0.19±0.22mm. Before the COVID-19 lockdown, the age-dependent coefficient for axial length (ADCAL) for the right/left eyes was 0.21mm (95%CI0.17,0.25)/0.20mm (95%CI0.16,0.24). In children younger than 9.6 years (n = 157), annual axial elongation (right eyes) during the study period was larger than the ADCAL before the COVID-19 outbreak (0.29 mm (95%0.00,0.66) versus 0.21 mm (95%CI0.02,0.41)). In the groups aged 9.6 to 11.4 years (n = 148) and aged >11.4 years (n = 156), annual axial elongation during the study period was comparable to the ADCAL before the COVID-19 outbreak (0.18mm (95%CI-0.07,0.46) versus 0.22mm (95%CI-0.05,0.48), and (0.09mm (95%CI-0.15,0.34) versus 0.14mm (95%CI0.00,0.28), respectively). In children aged ≤9 years at study end, axial length at study end was 0.20 mm larger than axial length at baseline in the participants aged ≤9 years at baseline. Larger axial elongation during the study period was associated (multivariable analysis) with younger age (beta-0.62;P<0.001), female sex (beta0.21;P<0.001), longer study period (beta0.22;P<0.001), and longer axial length at baseline (beta0.28;P<0.001), and marginally, with less time spent outdoors (beta-0.07;P = 0.06).CONCLUSIONS:
The COVID-19-related lockdown in the Russian city of Ufa was associated with a relatively minor increase in axial elongation, detected only in children aged <9.6 years.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
/
Myopia
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
/
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
PLoS One
Journal subject:
Science
/
Medicine
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Journal.pone.0279020
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