A Cross-Sectional Study of Myopia and Morning Melatonin Status in Northern Irish Adolescent Children
Purpose. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between melatonin status and both refractive error and axial length in young adult myopes. This study aimed to determine if this relationship extends to a younger adolescent cohort. Methods. Healthy children aged 12–15 years provided morning...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Hindawi Limited
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Ophthalmology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/7961623 |
| _version_ | 1797633340155625472 |
|---|---|
| author | Jane M. Fulton Sarah C. Flanagan Julie J. Sittlington Diego Cobice Sara Dobbin Sara J. McCullough Gareth Orr Patrick Richardson Kathryn J. Saunders |
| author_facet | Jane M. Fulton Sarah C. Flanagan Julie J. Sittlington Diego Cobice Sara Dobbin Sara J. McCullough Gareth Orr Patrick Richardson Kathryn J. Saunders |
| author_sort | Jane M. Fulton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between melatonin status and both refractive error and axial length in young adult myopes. This study aimed to determine if this relationship extends to a younger adolescent cohort. Methods. Healthy children aged 12–15 years provided morning saliva samples before attending Ulster University (55°N) for cycloplegic autorefraction and axial length measures. Participants completed questionnaires describing recent sleep habits and physical activity. Salivary melatonin was quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Data collection for all participants occurred over a 1-week period (April 2021). Results. Seventy participants aged 14.3 (95% CI: 14.2—14.5) years were categorised by spherical equivalent refraction [SER] (range: −5.38DS to +1.88DS) into two groups; myopic SER ≤ −0.50DS (n = 22) or nonmyopic −0.50DS < SER ≤ +2.00DS (n = 48). Median morning salivary melatonin levels were 4.52 pg/ml (95% CI: 2.60–6.02) and 4.89 pg/ml (95% CI: 3.18–5.66) for myopic and nonmyopic subjects, respectively, and did not differ significantly between refractive groups (P = 0.91). Melatonin levels were not significantly correlated with SER, axial length, sleep, or activity scores (Spearman’s rank, all P > 0.39). Higher levels of physical activity were associated with higher sleep quality (Spearman’s rank, ρ = −0.28, P = 0.02). Conclusion. The present study found no significant relationship between morning salivary melatonin levels and refractive error or axial length in young adolescents. This contrasts with outcomes from a previous study of adults with comparable methodology, season of data collection, and geographical location. Prospective studies are needed to understand the discrepancies between adult and childhood findings and evaluate whether melatonin levels in childhood are indicative of an increased risk for future onset of myopia and/or faster axial growth trajectories and myopia progression in established myopes. Future work should opt for a comprehensive dim-light melatonin onset protocol to determine circadian phase. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:52:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50df129aee68482daf1bbc0ccf3b5d65 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2090-0058 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:52:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Hindawi Limited |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj.art-50df129aee68482daf1bbc0ccf3b5d652023-11-09T00:00:03ZengHindawi LimitedJournal of Ophthalmology2090-00582023-01-01202310.1155/2023/7961623A Cross-Sectional Study of Myopia and Morning Melatonin Status in Northern Irish Adolescent ChildrenJane M. Fulton0Sarah C. Flanagan1Julie J. Sittlington2Diego Cobice3Sara Dobbin4Sara J. McCullough5Gareth Orr6Patrick Richardson7Kathryn J. Saunders8Centre for Optometry and Vision ScienceCentre for Optometry and Vision ScienceNutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE)Mass Spectrometry CentreMass Spectrometry CentreCentre for Optometry and Vision ScienceMass Spectrometry CentreCentre for Optometry and Vision ScienceCentre for Optometry and Vision SciencePurpose. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between melatonin status and both refractive error and axial length in young adult myopes. This study aimed to determine if this relationship extends to a younger adolescent cohort. Methods. Healthy children aged 12–15 years provided morning saliva samples before attending Ulster University (55°N) for cycloplegic autorefraction and axial length measures. Participants completed questionnaires describing recent sleep habits and physical activity. Salivary melatonin was quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Data collection for all participants occurred over a 1-week period (April 2021). Results. Seventy participants aged 14.3 (95% CI: 14.2—14.5) years were categorised by spherical equivalent refraction [SER] (range: −5.38DS to +1.88DS) into two groups; myopic SER ≤ −0.50DS (n = 22) or nonmyopic −0.50DS < SER ≤ +2.00DS (n = 48). Median morning salivary melatonin levels were 4.52 pg/ml (95% CI: 2.60–6.02) and 4.89 pg/ml (95% CI: 3.18–5.66) for myopic and nonmyopic subjects, respectively, and did not differ significantly between refractive groups (P = 0.91). Melatonin levels were not significantly correlated with SER, axial length, sleep, or activity scores (Spearman’s rank, all P > 0.39). Higher levels of physical activity were associated with higher sleep quality (Spearman’s rank, ρ = −0.28, P = 0.02). Conclusion. The present study found no significant relationship between morning salivary melatonin levels and refractive error or axial length in young adolescents. This contrasts with outcomes from a previous study of adults with comparable methodology, season of data collection, and geographical location. Prospective studies are needed to understand the discrepancies between adult and childhood findings and evaluate whether melatonin levels in childhood are indicative of an increased risk for future onset of myopia and/or faster axial growth trajectories and myopia progression in established myopes. Future work should opt for a comprehensive dim-light melatonin onset protocol to determine circadian phase.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/7961623 |
| spellingShingle | Jane M. Fulton Sarah C. Flanagan Julie J. Sittlington Diego Cobice Sara Dobbin Sara J. McCullough Gareth Orr Patrick Richardson Kathryn J. Saunders A Cross-Sectional Study of Myopia and Morning Melatonin Status in Northern Irish Adolescent Children Journal of Ophthalmology |
| title | A Cross-Sectional Study of Myopia and Morning Melatonin Status in Northern Irish Adolescent Children |
| title_full | A Cross-Sectional Study of Myopia and Morning Melatonin Status in Northern Irish Adolescent Children |
| title_fullStr | A Cross-Sectional Study of Myopia and Morning Melatonin Status in Northern Irish Adolescent Children |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Cross-Sectional Study of Myopia and Morning Melatonin Status in Northern Irish Adolescent Children |
| title_short | A Cross-Sectional Study of Myopia and Morning Melatonin Status in Northern Irish Adolescent Children |
| title_sort | cross sectional study of myopia and morning melatonin status in northern irish adolescent children |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/7961623 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT janemfulton acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT sarahcflanagan acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT juliejsittlington acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT diegocobice acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT saradobbin acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT sarajmccullough acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT garethorr acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT patrickrichardson acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT kathrynjsaunders acrosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT janemfulton crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT sarahcflanagan crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT juliejsittlington crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT diegocobice crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT saradobbin crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT sarajmccullough crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT garethorr crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT patrickrichardson crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren AT kathrynjsaunders crosssectionalstudyofmyopiaandmorningmelatoninstatusinnorthernirishadolescentchildren |