Keratoconus in pediatric age: Clinical-refractive characteristics and evolution. Donum foundation medical specialties center. Cuenca. Ecuador. 2015-2018

Objective: The objective of the study was to describe the clinical-refractive characteristics of keratoconus (KC) patients at pediatric age and their evolution, at the Donum Foundation Medical Center, Cuenca, Ecuador. Methods: An observational, prospective, and longitudinal study was carried out in 94 pediatric patients (188 eyes) diagnosed with KC, diagnosed in 2015 and followed up to 2018, in the Donum Foundation Medical Center, Cuenca, Ecuador. The arithmetic mean of the sample was obtained: mean keratometry, pachymetry at the thinnest point and refractive cylinder, at two moments. The analysis of variance of repeated measures was used for a factor with confidence interval adjustment by Bonferroni and p-value. Results: A statistically significant increase was obtained between the mean value of average keratometry of the sample (49.6 D), at the time of diagnosis, and the mean value of average keratometry at 3 years of follow-up (52.4 D). (p = 0.02; α = 0.05) A statistically significant decrease was obtained between the average pachymetry of the sample, at the time of diagnosis (482 μm), and the average pachymetry of the sample, at 3 years of follow-up (459 μm) (p = 0.03; α = 0.05). A statistically significant increase was obtained between the average refractive cylinder of the sample, at the time of diagnosis (4.6 D), and the average refractive cylinder of the sample, at 3 years of follow-up (5.1 D) (p = 0.01; α = 0.05). Conclusions: The modifications of keratometry, refractive cylinder, and pachymetry suggest progression of the disease in this age group, in a period of 3 years.