Clin Pediatr | Volume 1, Issue 1 | Case Report | Open Access
Gonzalo Oliván-Gonzalvo*
Pediatrics and International Adoption Clinic, Spain
*Correspondance to: Gonzalo Oliván-Gonzalvo
Fulltext PDFIntroduction: Studies performed on adopted children from Eastern Europe have communicated that present a high frequency of visual and ocular abnormalities. This study aimed to determine the frequency of strabismus in a cohort of children adopted from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, and relate their presence with perinatal history and medical diagnoses upon arrival.
Methods: We studied 348 children (mean age 2.7 years; 60.9% males) adopted from Russia (84.8%), Ukraine (8%) and Kazakhstan (7.2%) to Spain during 2000-2017. Upon arrival, the pre-adoptive medical records were reviewed and a complete medical examination was performed according to national protocols. Regarding background from pre-adoptive medical records, information was available in 314 (90.2%) children. Children with and without strabismus were compared (two-tailed Z-test; statistical significance level of p < 0.05).
Results: Forty two (12.1%) of the adopted children had strabismus (61.9% males; 88.1% from Russia). The adopted children with strabismus had a significantly higher frequency (p< 0.05) for preterm birth and perinatal asphyxia background, and for the diagnoses upon arrival of stunting, cerebral palsy and fetal alcohol syndrome. They also had a higher frequency, although not significant, for prenatal alcohol and drugs exposure background, and for the diagnosis upon arrival of microcephaly. The ophthalmological examination showed a significantly higher frequency (p< 0.05) of amblyopia and optic nerve hypoplasia. Conclusions: In this cohort of adoptees from Eastern Europe, strabismus was related to prenatal, perinatal and postnatal adverse events resulting in growth deficiency and central nervous system damage.
Adoption, Child, Eastern europe, Strabismus
Oliván-Gonzalvo G. Frequency of Strabismus in Children Adopted from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan: Relationships with Perinatal History and Medical Diagnosis. Clin Pediatri. 2018; 1: 1006.