PURPOSE: To characterize typical microanatomical alterations of @entity44 in the fovea, that remain into childhood, after extremely preterm birth before 27  weeks gestational age (GA) and to suggest a clinical methodological evaluation tool. METHODS: Subjects were consecutively recruited at age 6.5  years and organized in  four groups (10 subjects in each): Group A (full-term), Group B (GA 25-27  weeks) without @entity989 ( @entity989 ), Group B* (GA 25-27  weeks) and Group C (GA 23-24  weeks) both with @entity989 stage 3. Foveal microanatomy was studied using a grading system of OCT-scans. RESULTS: Prematurely born @entity1 (including Group B, B* and C) had significantly @entity2070 (mean difference -53   m, p  <  0.001), thicker inner retinal layer (mean difference 21.6, p  =  0.005) and thicker outer nuclear layer (mean difference 23.5, p  <  0.001) than controls. @entity2070 and inner retinal layer thickness were significantly correlated to GA (p  =  0.003 and p  =  0.017 respectively) within the preterm group. @entity2070 increased with 14.1   m per week between GA 23 and 27. The three hyper reflective bands of the outer segments as well as a central protuberance of inner and outer segment layers were present in all @entity1 . CONCLUSION: Previous studies have revealed signs of @entity44 affecting most retinal layers at time of birth in prematurely born @entity1 . The present study adds information to which extent these signs of underdevelopment remains to later in life. The applied method showed that premature birth before GA 27  weeks commonly leads to characteristic anatomical alterations of the foveal anatomy expressed as @entity2070 and incomplete extrusion of the inner retinal layers. Although deviations of the outer nuclear layers can be seen in the most extremely preterm born @entity1 , the outer part of the fovea generally develops well, independent of prematurity. The single most important determinant for the degree of foveal maturation seems to be GA.

A methodological approach for evaluation of foveal XXXX after extremely preterm birth.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children'] @entity2070 :: ('MESH:C537858', 'Disease') :: ['Foveal depth', 'reduced foveal depth'] @entity44 :: ('MESH:D013724', 'Disease') :: ['immaturity'] @entity989 :: ('MESH:D012164', 'Disease') :: ['retinopathy of prematurity', 'ROP']
@entity44 :: (MESH:D013724,Disease) :: ['immaturity']
