Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the heritability of 10-year longitudinal changes of axial length in Guangzhou Twin Eye Study.
Methods :
A twin study of the cohort of Guangzhou Twin Eye Study (N=1308 pairs) aged 6-19 years at baseline was conducted annually and followed up for 10 years. Axial length was obtained from partial coherence laser interferometry. Zygosity was confirmed by genotyping with 16 polymorphic markers in all same-sex twin pairs. Heritability was assessed by linear growth curve model adjusting for age and sex.
Results :
Linear growth curve models revealed a substantial genetic influence on axial length at baseline (heritability (h2) 91% (95% confidence interval 0.89–0.92) and a high influence on rate of change in axial length (h2 = 87% (0.84 - 0.90). The genetic correlation between baseline and rate of change in axial length was -0.029.
Conclusions :
Our results provide a basis for identifying high genetic effects on axial length at baseline and longitudinal changes.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.