title: Retinopathy of prematurity: an analysis of risk factors.
abstract: In order to investigate the possible clinical factors related to the occurrence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), 37 very-low-birth-weight infants documented to have ROP were compared to a group of 50 controls during the period from July 1988 to December 1991. The results revealed that: 1) the overall occurrence rate of ROP was 42.5% (37/87), with a higher occurrence rate in the less mature weight-stratified subgroup; 2) patients in the lower stages of ROP generally regressed during the follow-up, while nearly all of those in the higher stages eventually progressed and received surgical intervention; and 3) after multiple logistic regression analysis, the consistently significant factors were birth weight, duration of PaO2 > or = 80 mmHg, ventilation time > or = five days and a blood exchange transfusion. It is suggested that regular examination for ROP in high-risk premature infants is important in combination with other monitoring modalities in neonatal intensive care units to reduce the possible complications and sequelae of ROP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen