Choroidal, macular and ganglion cell layer thickness assessment in Caucasian children measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: To study the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), macular ganglion cell layer (GCL-IPL) and central macular thickness (CMT) in Caucasian children, and to analyze these optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters depending on the spherical equivalent (SE). METHODS: Cross-sectional study of SFCT, GCL-IPL, and CMT in Caucasian children, analyzed with spectral-domain OCT Cirrus 5000 and Enhanced-depth imaging technique. Correlation between these three OCT parameters, age, sex, and spherical equivalent was analyzed. The eyes were classified into three groups: group 1 included eyes with SE < 0, group 2 included eyes with SE between 0 and +2.00, and group 3 eyes with SE > +2.00. RESULTS: Hundred ninety-eight eyes of 121 subjects were studied. The mean age was 9.22 years (range 3-16); 61.1% were female. The mean SFCT was 351.04 ± 84.08 µm, being 310.04 ± 82.84µm in group 1 (n = 62), 373.14 ± 83.16 µm in group 2 (n = 71) and 365.18 ± 73.16 µm in group 3 (n = 65); statistically significant differences were found between groups 2 and 3, compared with group 1. GCL-IPL thickness was significantly thinner (p < 0.001) in group 1, compared with group 3. There were no statistically significant differences between the three groups regarding CMT. Correlation with age, and sex was not found. CONCLUSIONS: SFCT and GCL-IPL thickness were significantly thinner (p < 0.001) in myopic children when compared with a non-myopic pediatric population. However, it seems that there is not a correlation among the three OCT parameters studied, age and sex, when they are analyzed depending on refractive error.

Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in Tucumán, Argentina.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Tucumán, Argentina. METHODS: The study was conducted between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, in Tucumán province in northwest Argentina. Outpatient and hospitalization medical records for all patients with RA aged > or = 16 years were reviewed. Diagnosis was by 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA and the population data were based on the 1991 national census. Prevalence rates, with 95% CI, were calculated using the number of San Miguel de Tucumán residents who fulfilled the 1987 ACR criteria for RA as numerator, and the city population aged > or = 16 as denominator. Crude and age-specific prevalence rates were calculated as number of cases/1,000 inhabitants. RESULTS: We identified 695 cases of RA. Sex-specific and overall prevalence rates (per 1,000) were 1.97 (95% CI 1.8-2) for all, 0.6 (95% CI 0.49-0.73) for men, 3.2 (95% CI 2.9-3.5) for women. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of RA is low in residents of Tucumán, Argentina, and comparable with rates observed in epidemiological surveys from Southern European countries.