PLoS ONE (Jan 2013)

Distribution of central corneal thickness and its association with ocular parameters in a large central European cohort: the Gutenberg health study.

  • Esther M Hoffmann,
  • Julia Lamparter,
  • Alireza Mirshahi,
  • Heike Elflein,
  • René Hoehn,
  • Christian Wolfram,
  • Katrin Lorenz,
  • Max Adler,
  • Philipp S Wild,
  • Andreas Schulz,
  • Barbara Mathes,
  • Maria Blettner,
  • Norbert Pfeiffer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0066158
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 8
p. e66158

Abstract

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MAIN OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the distribution of central corneal thickness (CCT) in a large German cohort and to analyse its relationship with intraocular pressure and further ocular factors. DESIGN: Population-based, prospective, cohort study. METHODS: The Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) cohort included 4,698 eligible enrollees of 5,000 subjects (age range 35-74 years) who participated in the survey from 2007 to 2008. All participants underwent an ophthalmological examination including slitlamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, central corneal thickness measurement, fundus examination, and were given a questionnaire regarding glaucoma history. Furthermore, all subjects underwent fundus photography and visual field testing using frequency doubling perimetry. RESULTS: Mean CCT was 557.3 ± 34.3 µm (male) and 551.6±35.2 µm in female subjects (Mean CCT from right and left eyes). Younger male participants (35-44 years) presented slightly thicker CCT than those older. We noted a significant CCT difference of 4 µm between right and left eyes, but a high correlation between eyes (Wilcoxon test for related samples: p<0.0001). Univariable linear regression stratified by gender showed that IOP was correlated with CCT (p<0.0001). A 10 µm increase in CCT led to an increase in IOP between 0.35-0.38 mm Hg, depending on the eye and gender. Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed correlations between gender, spherical equivalent (right eyes), and CCT (p<.0001 and p=0.03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We observed positive correlations between CCT and IOP and gender. CCT was not correlated with age, contact lens wear, positive family history for glaucoma, lens status, or iris colour.