summary: 7-MX, a caffeine metabolite, may help slow the progression of myopia or myopia in children.
Source: bmj
A metabolite of caffeine, known as 7-MX, may slow the progression of myopia, also known as myopia, in children, suggests observational research published online. British Journal of Ophthalmology,
If proven safe and effective in larger clinical trials, 7-MX could become a valuable treatment for a condition for which current options are somewhat limited, the researchers say.
Myopia occurs when the eye becomes too long, stretching and thinning it, and often begins at 6-7 years of age, progressing to 16-20 years of age.
It is associated with an increased risk of various conditions that affect vision and eye health, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and retinal detachment.
Early research suggests that the caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthines, or 7-MX for short, prevents excessive eye length (axial elongation).
7-MX has been used in Denmark to treat childhood myopia since 2009. But this hasn’t been fully evaluated in long-term studies so far, and the researchers wanted to find out how quickly myopia progresses in children taking 7-MX.
Researchers reviewed the medical records of 711 children (356 girls and 355 boys) treated for myopia at an eye clinic in Denmark between June 2000 and January 2021.
Extensive eye examinations including measurement of axial length were performed on the children. And 624 children took 7-MX tablets up to 1,200 mg daily (average 470 mg), while 87 did not for various reasons.
When they started treatment, their mean age was 11 (range 7–15), and their eye length and degree of myopia were tracked for an average of 3½ years (range 11 months–9 years).
Diopters (d) are the units of measurement used to assess the extent of eye function: the mean degree of refractive error (short-sightedness) to start was −2.43 d, which averaged 1.34 d during the monitoring period. D increased. -3.00 d is considered moderately severe myopia; -6 d or more is considered severe myopia.
Initially the mean axial length was 24.4 mm, increasing by an average of 0.21 mm/year.
Treatment with 7-MX was associated with a slower rate of worsening of myopia and axonal elongation, with higher doses appearing to be more effective.
Based on these data, the researchers estimated that for a typical 7-year-old child with a refractive error of -2.53 D, that child’s myopia would increase to -3.49 D without treatment over the next 6 years.
But with a daily dose of 1000 mg of 7-MX, the same child’s myopia will increase to -2.65D over the next 6 years.
Similarly, without treatment, axillary length will increase by 1.80 mm over the next 6 years, while it will increase by 1.63 mm at a daily dose of 1000 mg.
The researchers calculated that, on average, for an 11-year-old child taking 1000 mg 7-MX daily would increase the child’s myopia to −1.43 d over the next 6 years, compared to −2.27 d without treatment. And the axial length will increase by 0.84mm compared to 1.01mm without treatment.
None of the children taking 7-MX reported any side effects during the monitoring period.
Researchers say the findings are similar to experimental studies. But they acknowledge that their study is observational, nor were they able to account for potentially influencing factors, such as genetic factors, time spent outside, ethnicity, and time spent at close work. Therefore, their findings cannot establish causality.
“The question of causality and potential treatment effect size can only be determined through a randomized trial,” they write.
But they conclude: “Current myopia control intervention methods are not fully effective in preventing children from progressing to high myopia, and if causality and efficacy can be confirmed in future randomized controlled trials, So 7-MX could become a valuable supplement.”
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Author: Press Office
Source: bmj
contact: Press Office – BMJ
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Basic Research: open access.
“Oral administration of the caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthines is associated with slower myopia progression in Danish children” by Claus Trier et al. British Journal of Ophthalmology
essence
Oral administration of the caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthines is associated with slower myopia progression in Danish children
purpose
Myopia is associated with an increased risk of permanent vision loss. The caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthines (7-MX), which has been licensed in Denmark since 2009 as a treatment to reduce the rate of progression of childhood myopia, is the only orally administered therapy available. The aim of the present study was to assess the rate of progression of myopia in children taking 7-MX.
methods
Longitudinal cycloplegic refraction and axial length data for 711 myopic children from Denmark treated with varying doses of oral 7-MX (0–1200 mg per day) were analyzed using linear mixed models.
Result
The mean age at baseline was 11.1 years (range 7.0–15.0 years). The children were followed for an average of 3.6 years (range 0.9–9.1 years) and the mean myopia progression was 1.34 diopters (d) (range −6.50 to +0.75 d). Treatment with 7-MX was associated with a lower rate of myopia progression (p < 0.001) and axonal elongation (p < 0.002). Modeling suggested that, on average, an 11-year-old child who took 1000 mg 7-MX daily would develop −1.43 d of myopia over the next 6 years, compared to −2.27 d when untreated. Axillary length in this child will increase by 0.84 mm at 6 years when a daily dose of 1000 mg of 7-MX is taken, compared to 1.01 mm when untreated. No adverse effects of 7-MX therapy were reported.
conclusion
Oral intake of 7-MX was associated with less myopia progression and less axonal elongation in this sample of myopic children from Denmark. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether the association is causal.
(This story has not been edited by seemayo staff and is published from a rss feed)