Gender differences and delay in presentation of childhood squint.

OBJECTIVE: To assess gender differences and delay in presentation of childhood squint in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: It was a series of children presenting with squint at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. We retrospectively studied the cases presenting between February 2000 and July 2007. RESULTS: A total of 107 children with squint were seen. Of these, 55 (52.4%) were girls. A statistically significant difference was observed between the mean age at presentation (+/- SD) of boys and girls (3 years and 5 months vs 4 years and 5 months p: < 0.05). Girls had a greater mean (SD) and median (range) delay in squint presentation than had boys (2 year 4 months +/- 3 years vs 3 years +/- 2 year 8 months) and 2 year 3 months (1 month to 12 years) vs 1 year 3 months (1 month to 14 years), respectively. Overall amblyopia was present in 25.3% (23/91) children. Girls also had a higher burden of amblyopia compared with their male counterparts though the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.09). CONCLUSION: There was a significant gender difference in age at presentation of childhood squint in our study. Further research is recommended to explore the reasons for this.

Retinopathy of prematurity: frequency and risk factors in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.

INTRODUCTION: To determine the frequency of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in the premature infants born in a tertiary care hospital and to determine the risk factors associated with it. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of premature infants with birth weight < or = 1500 grams or gestational ago < or = 32 weeks, admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care hospital in a three year period. The infants underwent eye examinations between their 4th and 7th week of life. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the association between risk factors and ROP development. RESULTS: Sixty eight infants were included in the analysis. Out of these, 22 (32.4%) developed ROP (inclusive of all stages) and 14 (20.6%) developed threshold disease. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that low gestational age, sepsis and respiratory distress syndrome were independent predictors for the development of ROP. CONCLUSION: The frequency of ROP in our hospital was on the higher side of the range reported in neighbouring developing countries. Low gestational age, sepsis and respiratory distress syndrome were independent predictors of ROP development. Our results suggest that ROP is an important emerging cause of preventable childhood blindness in urban areas of Pakistan like Karachi.