%0 Journal Article
%T A GEE model for predicting axial length after cataract surgery in children younger than 2 years of age.
%A Zhang F
%A Zhang Y
%A Li Z
%A Hu B
%A Zhao YE
%J Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol
%V 260
%N 6
%D Jun 2022
%M 35050383
%F 3.535
%R 10.1007/s00417-022-05552-6
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To develop a model for predicting postoperative axial length (AL) in children undergoing cataract surgery younger than 2 years of age.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Hangzhou, China DESIGN: Retrospective study.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Children were included only if AL data were available before surgery and at least 1 year after surgery. Eyes were divided into pseudophakic, aphakic, and unaffected eye groups. Variables that could influence axial growth were analyzed and a multivariable generalized estimating equation regression model was developed to predict postoperative AL.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>333 eyes from 190 patients were included. We observed a logarithmic linear correlation between age and AL in the unaffected eye group, AL = (2.7924 × log of age in months) + 17.607, R2 = 0.6596. Meanwhile, The GEE model of eyes with cataracts can be written as follows: Postoperative AL = 6.408 + 0.611 × (baseline AL) + 0.007 × (baseline age) - -0.006 (baseline age) × (age at follow-up) - -0.391 × coefficient of surgery. The ages were recorded in months, the ALs were recorded in millimeter.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The assessment of AL is one of the most important parts of successful postoperative management in congenital cataract patients. This study established an AL estimate formula for children aged ≤ 2 years with congenital cataract who underwent cataract surgery. This model theoretically could be used to predict individual future AL for child undergoing cataract surgery.