Rate of myopia progression and axial elongation reduced in association with caffeine metabolite 7-MX treatment<\/em><\/p>\n<\/h3>\n <\/b><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n TUESDAY, Aug. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) — For myopic children, the caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine (7-MX) is associated with reduced myopia progression and reduced axial elongation, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology<\/em>.\n<\/p>\n \n\tKlaus Trier, M.D., from Trier Research Laboratories in Hellerup, Denmark, and colleagues examined the rate of myopia progression in 711 myopic children from Denmark treated with varying doses of oral 7-MX (0 to 1,200 mg\/day). The median age was 11.1 years at baseline, and children were followed for an average of 3.6 years.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe researchers found that the average myopia progression was 1.34 diopters (D). 7-MX treatment was associated with a reduced rate of myopia progression and axial elongation. On average, modeling suggested that an 11-year-old child receiving 1,000 mg 7-MX daily would develop \u00e2\u0088\u00921.43 D of myopia over the subsequent six years compared with \u00e2\u0088\u00922.27 D without treatment. Over six years, in this child, the axial length would increase by 0.84 mm with a daily dose of 1,000 mg 7-MX compared with 1.01 mm without treatment. There were no reports of adverse effects of 7-MX therapy.\n<\/p>\n \n\t“The study design only allowed us to conclude that an increased dose of 7-MX was associated with slowed myopia progression and axial elongation,” the authors write. “The question of causality and the size of a possible treatment effect can only be determined through a randomized trial.”\n<\/p>\n \n\tAbstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a>\n<\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n