Genetic covariance between central corneal thickness and anterior chamber volume: A Hungarian twin study

Georgina Zsofia Toth, Adel Racz, Adam Domonkos Tarnoki, David Laszlo Tarnoki, Zita Szekelyhidi, Levente Littvay, Ildiko Suveges, Janos Nemeth, Zoltan Zsolt Nagy

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract (may include machine translation)

Background: Few, and inconsistent, studies have showed high heritability of some parameters of the anterior segment of the eye; however, no heritability of anterior chamber volume (ACV) has been reported, and no study has been performed to investigate the correlation between the ACV and central corneal thickness (CCT). 

Methods: Anterior segment measurements (Pentacam, Oculus) were obtained from 220 eyes of 110 adult Hungarian twins (41 monozygotic and 14 same-sex dizygotic pairs; 80% women; age 48.6 ± 15.5 years) obtained from the Hungarian Twin Registry. 

Results: Age- and sex-adjusted heritability of ACV was 85% (bootstrapped 95% confidence interval; CI: 69% to 93%), and 88% for CCT (CI: 79% to 95%). Common environmental effects had no influence, and unshared environmental factors were responsible for 12% and 15% of the variance, respectively. The correlation between ACV and CCT was negative and significant (r ph = -0.35, p <.05), and genetic factors accounted for the covariance significantly (0.934; CI: 0.418, 1.061) based on the bivariate Cholesky decomposition model. 

Conclusion: These findings support the high heritability of ACV and central corneal thickness, and a strong genetic covariance between them, which underscores the importance of identification of the specific genetic factors and the family risk-based screening of disorders related to these variables, such as open-angle and also angle closure glaucoma and corneal endothelial alterations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)397-404
Number of pages8
JournalTwin Research and Human Genetics
Volume17
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 6 Oct 2014

Keywords

  • anterior chamber depth
  • anterior segment
  • genetics
  • glaucoma
  • heritability
  • keratometry

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