title: Retinopathy of prematurity in multiple-gestation, very low birth weight infants.
abstract: Ninety-nine infants from multiple gestation births and weighing < or = 1500 g at birth were matched with infants from single births to clarify the relationship of multiple gestation to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). There was no significant difference in the incidence of ROP between the twins and the singletons (relative risk [RR] = 0.84, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.61, 1.16). Logistic regression analysis confirmed that very low birth weight (VLBW), not single or multiple gestation, was the most significant predictor of ROP occurrence in either group. In 27 pairs of twin siblings from the original twin group, where both weighed < or = 1500 g at birth, we found that the second-born twin seemed at higher risk for developing ROP, but logistic regression showed that the lower birth weight of the second twin, not birth order, was the more significant predictor of ROP. These results indicate that ROP screening in VLBW twins may be conducted according to the same standard protocols as for singletons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friling
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Monos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karplus
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yassur
mesh_terms: D001722:Birth Order; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014427:Twins