title: Incidence, perinatal risk factors, visual outcome and management of threshold retinopathy.
abstract: The incidence of threshold retinopathy, clinical characteristics and risk factors to develop threshold retinopathy are described in a group of preterm infants admitted between 1996 and 2000 in a single tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. A subset of these infants (n = 31) developed threshold retinopathy (ROP). Incidence of threshold ROP in survivors with a birth weight below 1500 g is 6.4%. Pre-, peri- and postnatal characteristics of these infants are described and compared with matched controls of the same gestational age (GA) and admitted in the same unit in an attempt to focus on relevant risk factors of threshold ROP. We also report on visual outcome data in infants who developed threshold retinopathy. Finally, we describe our experience with perioperative management in this cohort.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospitals, Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. karel.allegaert@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Allegaert
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verdonck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vanhole
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Halleux
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Naulaers
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cossey
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Devlieger
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casteels
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity