2M.D. Asistant Professor, Adıyaman University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child Health and Diseases, Adıyaman/TURKEY
3M.D. Diyarbakır Training and Research Hospital, Eye Clinic, Diyarbakir/TURKEY
4M.D. Professor, Adıyaman University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child Health and Diseases, Adıyaman/TURKEY Purpose: To determine changes in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).
Material and Methods: The study was included 38 healthy children and 44 patients with IDA. The hemoglobin, iron, and ferritin levels and iron binding capacity were recorded. All participants underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, including visual acuity, intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness measurements. Four quadrants (superior, inferior, nasal and temporal) and average RNFL thickness in the all patients were evaluated with spectral domain optical coherence tomography.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of central corneal thickness, visual acuity and intraocular pressure (p>0.05). Although detected the significantly thinner RNFL in the avarage and superior, and inferior quadrant (p=0.035, p<0.001 and p=0.004 respectively) in the IDA group, there were no statistically significant differences in the temporal and nasal RNFL thickness compared to the control group. In the IDA group, there were significant correlations between inferior quadrant RNFL thickness and hemoglobin (r=0.235; p=0.042), and between avarage RNFL thickness and serum iron (r=0.312; p=0.014) and ferritin concentrations (r=0.241; p=0.012).
Conclusion: The RNLF thickness decreased in the children with IDA. There were positive correlation between hemoglobin, iron, and ferritin levels and RNFL thickness.
Keywords : Childhood, iron deficiency anemia, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness