Macular Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer, Ganglion Cell Complex, and Outer Retinal Layer Thicknesses in a Large Cohort of Chinese Children

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to describe the nonnative values, distribution patterns, and correlated factors of macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), ganglion cell complex (GCC), and outer retinal layer (ORL) thicknesses in Chinese children. METHODS. A sample of 3000 healthy children with different refractive status aged 6 to 19 years was consecutively examined. Demographics were recorded, and a comprehensive ophthalmic examination including refractive error and axial length (AL) was taken from all participants. The GCIPL, GCC, and ORL thicknesses were measured using swept source-optical coherence tomography (OCT), and multiple linear regression was used to determine which factors were associated with the thickness of each layer. RESULTS. The average thickness was 77.00 +/- 4.78 mu m (95% confidence interval [CU: 69.56-84.56 mu m) in the GCIPL, 107.68 +/- 5.95 mu m (95% CI: 98.45-117.21 mu m) in the GCC, and 178.57 +/- 9.02 mu m (95% CI: 164.33-192.56 mu m) in the ORL. Multiple regression analysis indicated that GCIPL thickness was associated with sex (beta = 0.168, P < 0.001), age (beta = 0.126, P < 0.001), axial length (beta = 0.181, P < 0.001), and refractive error (beta = 0.233, P < 0.001). Age (beta = 0.154, P < 0.001), sex (beta = 0.102, P < 0.001), and refractive error (beta = 0.149, P < 0.001) were associated independently with GCC thickness after adjusting for the other factors. Furthermore, age (beta = 0.100, P < 0.001), sex (beta = 0.163, P < 0.001), AL (beta = 0.283, P < 0.001), and refractive error (beta = 0.207, P < 0.001) were the independent factors associated with ORL thickness. CONCLUSIONS. The present study established a normative pediatric database for macular layer thicknesses in healthy Chinese children, advancing the ability of OCT in diseases diagnosis and monitoring among children.