Perinatal growth characteristics and associated risk of developing threshold retinopathy of prematurity.
OBJECTIVE
To document perinatal growth characteristics in infants who developed threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in an attempt to describe prenatal and postnatal growth-related risk factors for threshold ROP.


METHODS
To document birth weight as well as absolute and relative weight gain (g/d and g/kg/d) in the first 6 weeks of life in infants who developed threshold ROP and who were admitted to a single tertiary neonatal intensive care unit between 1996 and 2000. These data were compared (case-control approach) with infants of the same gestational age (GA) who did not developed threshold ROP.


RESULTS
Small for gestational age (SGA; ie, weight <10th percentile for a given GA) and growth restriction (<25th percentile for a given GA) are risk factors for threshold ROP (relative risk = 3.7 and 4.5, respectively). Absolute weight gain (g/d) is also associated with an increased risk of developing threshold ROP (P<.05). In contrast, relative weight gain (g/kg/d) is not significantly different between threshold ROP infants and GA-matched controls.


CONCLUSIONS
SGA and a birth weight below the 25(th) percentile are risk factors for threshold ROP. Postnatal weight and absolute weight gain (g and g/d, respectively) in the first 6 weeks of life are statistically significant but of less clinical relevance because smaller infants at birth stay relatively smaller during the first 6 weeks of life. Even with normal (ie, same weight as control infants) postnatal relative weight gain (g/kg/d), growth retarded or restricted infants at birth still have an increased risk of developing threshold ROP.
Allegaert
Karel
K
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals, Leuven, Belgium.
Vanhole
Christine
C
Casteels
Ingele
I
Naulaers
Gunnar
G
Debeer
Anne
A
Cossey
Veerle
V
Devlieger
Hugo
H
D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005865:Gestational Age; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D015430:Weight Gain