Assessment of macular ganglion cell complex using optical coherence tomography: Impact of a paediatric reference database in clinical practice

Importance Optical coherence tomography software classifies abnormality of macular ganglion cell‐inner plexiform layer thickness and macular retinal nerve fibre layer thickness based on adult series. Background We assessed the impact of using paediatric reference macular ganglion cell complex values instead of adult reference values. Design Cross‐sectional study. Primary and tertiary health‐care setting. Participants Out of 140 healthy participants aged 5 to 18 years, 90% were eligible. Methods Following a dilated eye examination and cycloplegic refraction, participants underwent optical coherence tomography ganglion cell scans (Topcon 3D OCT‐2000; Topcon Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). Right eye measurements for superior, inferior, and total layer thickness and spherical equivalent were reported, together with age, sex and origin. Main Outcome Measures Paediatric reference values by age and spherical equivalent were produced, and the specific agreement between paediatric and adult ganglion cell complex reference values below or equal to percentile 5 was estimated. Results The multivariate analysis confirmed a positive association between spherical equivalent and macular ganglion cell‐inner plexiform layer thickness, and between age and macular retinal nerve fibre layer (five out of six regression coefficients P values were ≤ 0.03). Specific agreement was 25% for ganglion cell‐inner plexiform layer thickness and > 80% for macular retinal nerve fibre layer. Adult‐based software identified low ganglion cell values in one in seven children compared to paediatric reference values (0.8% vs 5.5%, P = 0.031). Conclusions and Relevance The availability of optical coherence tomography ganglion cell complex reference values for paediatric age and spherical equivalent groups can be used to improve detection of children with low cell layer thickness.