During recent years, the interest in studying the risks of being born moderate-to-late preterm (MLP), defined as birth between gestational week 32 to 36, has increased. Today the investigators know that morbidity and mortality are significantly higher in these individuals compared to individuals born full-term. However, few studies have focused on the development of the eye in MLP individuals. The purpose of the study is to evaluate eye morphology and visual function in relation to growth, metabolism, blood pressure, neuropsychiatric factors, and quality of life in adolescents born MLP. The results of the examinations will be compared to an age-matched control group. The study will evaluate the structural, functional, and metabolic aspects of the eye with the hypothesis that early eye abnormalities may detect the risk of developing metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
100
Structural, functional and metabolic eye examinations
Institute of neuroscience and physiology
Gothenburg, Västra Götaland County, Sweden
Optic disc area.
Optic disc area measured with Optical coherence tomography (OCT, Topcon).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months
Visual acuity.
Visual acuity measured with Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) scores.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
Blood pressure.
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured with blood pressure cuffs.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
Blood concentration of Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).
Blood samples of HbA1c.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ).
The ASSQ consists of 27 items and is scored using a likert scale, with the following alternatives: "not true" (0 points), "somewhat true" (1 point) and "certainly true" (2 points).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL).
PedsQL is a questionnaire measuring health-related quality of life in children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years. It consists of 23 items including physical functioning (8 items), emotional functioning (5 items), social functioning (5 items) and school functioning (5 items). It has a 5-point response scale: "never a problem" (0 points), "almost never a problem" (1 point), "sometimes a problem" (2 points), "often a problem" (3 points), "almost always a problem" (4 points).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
Weight.
Weight measured in kilograms.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months
The Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale (SNAP-IV).
Screening questionnaire for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) consisting of 26 items rated on a 4-point scale: "not at all" (0 points), "just a little" (1 point), "quite a bit" (2 points) and "very much" (3 points).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
Refraction.
Visual refraction measured with an autorefractor (Topcon).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
Height.
Height measured in meters.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
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