AUTHOR=Tao Lixia , Wang Chunxiao , Peng Yiyi , Xu Meiping , Wan Minghui , Lou Jiangtao , Yu Xinping 

TITLE=Correlation Between Increase of Axial Length and Height Growth in Chinese School-Age Children

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.817882

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2021.817882

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Purpose</title><p>To identify the relationship between the increase in axial length (AL) and height in school-age children and explore the influence of refractive status on such a relationship.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>In this 5-year cohort study, 414 Chinese children (237 boys) aged 6–9 years (mean 7.12) underwent measurements annually. AL was measured using the Lenstar; height with the children standing, without shoes; and refraction using subjective refraction without cycloplegia. Participants were divided according to the refractive status: persistent emmetropia, persistent myopia, and newly developed myopia. The measurement time points of the persistent emmetropia and persistent myopia groups were marked as T<sub>1</sub>, T<sub>2</sub>, T<sub>3</sub>, T<sub>4</sub>, and T<sub>5</sub>. The time of myopia onset in the newly developed myopia group was marked as <italic>t</italic><sub>0</sub>; the preceding time points were marked as <italic>t</italic><sub>−1</sub>, <italic>t</italic><sub>−2</sub>, and so on, and the succeeding as <italic>t</italic><sub>1</sub>, <italic>t</italic><sub>2</sub>, and so on. The association between increase in AL and height was analyzed using simple correlation analysis.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The mean changes in AL, height, and refraction were 1.39 mm, 23.60 cm, and −1.69 D, respectively, over 5 years in all children. The increase in AL and height were positively correlated for T<sub>1</sub>~T<sub>2</sub>, T<sub>1</sub>~T<sub>3</sub>, T<sub>1</sub>~T<sub>4</sub>, and T<sub>1</sub>~T<sub>5</sub> (<italic>r</italic> = 0.262, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; <italic>r</italic> = 0.108, <italic>P</italic> = 0.034; <italic>r</italic> = 0.165, <italic>P</italic> = 0.001; <italic>r</italic> = 0.174, <italic>P</italic> = 0.001, respectively). The changes in AL and height in the newly developed myopia group were significantly correlated (<italic>r</italic> = 0.289, <italic>P</italic> = 0.009) after myopia onset (<italic>t</italic><sub>0</sub>~<italic>t</italic><sub>2</sub>).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The increase in AL and height were positively correlated, especially in the newly developed myopia group after myopia onset. Thus, when children grow quickly, AL elongation should be monitored.</p></sec>