Increase in Bruch's membrane opening minimum rim width with age in healthy children: the Hong Kong Children Eye Study

Background/aims To identify normative values and determinants for Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) and the minimum rim width of BMO (BMO-MRW) among healthy children. Methods A population-based cross-sectional study from the Hong Kong Children Eye Study, recruiting 1, 226 children aged 6-8 years. Spherical refractive error, axial length (AL), body mass index and intraocular pressure (IOP) were measured. The optic nerve head and the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (p-RNFL) were imaged through spectral domain-optical coherence tomography, using 24 equally spaced radial B-scans. Global and sectoral BMO-MRW values, BMO area and fovea-to-BMO (FoBMO) angle were calculated. Multiple regression analysis was performed to define the determinants of BMO area and BMO-MRW in relation to demographic and ocular parameters. Results The mean values for global BMO-MRW, BMO area and FoBMO angle among children were 345.76 +/- 54.08 mu m, 2.34 +/- 0.49 mm(2) and -5.45 +/- 4.36 degrees, respectively. Global and sectoral values for BMO-MRW correlated with p-RNFL thickness (r=0.11-0.35, p<0.001). After adjusting for demographic and ocular parameters, global BMO-MRW increased with age (beta=6.4, p<0.001) and greater global p-RNFL thickness (beta=1.41, p<0.001), but decreased with larger BMO area (beta=-47.46, p<0.001) and higher IOP (beta=-1.73, p<0.001). Global BMO-MRW did not associate with AL, whereas both BMO area and FoBMO angle associated with AL (beta=0.04, p=0.02 and beta=0.31, p=0.03, respectively), but not with age. Conclusion We observed that BMO-MRW increases with age among children. Our results provide normative values and the determinants of BMO parameters among Chinese children.

Automated summary

The study aims to identify normative values and determinants for Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) and the minimum rim width of BMO (BMO-MRW) among healthy children. The results indicate that BMO-MRW increases with age among children and other factors such as the thickness of the optic nerve head and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer also have an impact on BMO parameters.