Abstract
Purpose :
Orbital anthropometric values vary among ethnic groups. To date, no studies have established normative exophthalmometry values in individuals of Hispanic descent. The purpose of this prospective, observational study was to establish a set of exophthalmometry values and their correlates in the Hispanic population of the Bronx.
Methods :
Two hundred and thirty-eight Hispanic individuals ranging from 9 to 94 years of age recruited at Montefiore Medical Center outpatient clinics from January 2021 to December 2021 were included in the study. Demographic variables including age, sex, ethnicity/race, height, weight, and BMI were collected. The Hertel exophthalmometer was used to determine the degree of ocular prominence (exophthalmometry value, EV) and the inter-orbital distance (Hertel’s base, IOD) in each patient. Differences in EV between sexes were evaluated using two sample t tests. Pearson’s R was utilized for correlation determination. Multivariable linear regression was utilized to determine the effect of age, sex, and BMI on exophthalmometry values.
Results :
Of the 238 Hispanic patients included, 160 (67.2%) were female and the mean age was 61.1 years (SD=16.3). The mean Hertel’s base for all participants was 92.0 mm (SD=4.1), 94.0 mm (SD=3.8) for men and 91.0 mm (SD=3.9) for women. The mean EV for all Hispanic individuals was 16.7 mm (SD=2.4). The mean EV for men was 17.5 mm (SD=2.6) and for women was 16.2 mm (SD=2.1). Exophthalmometry values for men were statistically significantly higher than women’s (p=0.0001). EV was significantly associated with female sex (β= -1.58, p<0.0001) and BMI (β= 0.091, p=0.001), but not age.
Conclusions :
It is well-established that the degree of ocular prominence varies between ethnic groups. The mean EV in Hispanic individuals is 16.7 mm, higher than that of most Caucasians and Asians, but less than that of Black patients. EV was significantly associated with sex and BMI. This study is the first to create a set of normative exophthalmometry values in the Hispanic population, which may serve as a valuable tool for clinicians to reference when diagnosing and monitoring orbital disease.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.