IngentaConnect Visually impaired Swedish children. The 1980 cohort study; aspect...

Authors: Blohmé, J.¹; Tornqvist, K.¹

Source: Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica, Volume 78, Number 5, 1 October 2000 , pp. 560-565(6)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

Abstract:

.Purpose:

Assessment of the burden of mortality in a cohort of visually impaired children in a geographically defined area.

Methods:

A 19-year follow-up of medical records and death certificates.

Results and conclusions:

Of the initial 128 patients, born 1962-76, 17 (13%) had died, giving a highly significant increase in mortality compared to the equivalent age-specific Swedish population (p-value <0.000001). All deceased had additional impairments. Respiratory causes of death were found in 12/17 cases. The primary ophthalmological diagnosis was cerebral visual impairment in 8 cases, optic atrophy in 6 cases, one each of congenital cataract, microphthalmus and chorioretinitis. A more pronounced level of visual impairment gave an increased risk of mortality. A significantly higher mortality rate among multiply impaired was seen in the combined group with `childhood blindness' (visual acuity <0.05) and `visual impairment, undetermined or unknown' opposed to the group with `low vision' (visual acuity 0.05-<0.3) (p=0.047).

Keywords: visual impairment; childhood blindness; children; epidemiology; Sweden; cohort; mortality

Document Type: Original article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Lund, Lund, Sweden

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Visually impaired Swedish children. The 1980 cohort study; aspects on mortality