title: Is retinopathy of prematurity increasing among infants less than 1250 g birth weight?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a complication seen in many very low birth weight infants. Severe ROP has been called a "marker" for severe disability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and severity of ROP among infants < or =1250 g birth weight treated in the Special Care Nursery at Women & Infants' Hospital over a period of 7 years from 1994 to 2000.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective review of ROP data combined with neonatal follow-up data. Of the 1002 infants born with birth weights <1250 g, ophthalmologic data were available for 739 of 839 survivors. Analysis of variance and chi2 along with logistic regression were used to analyze outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An increase in the overall occurrence of ROP was identified (40% to 54% linear trend, p=0.007). The occurrence of threshold ROP ranged from 2% to 5% (NS). Infants at greatest risk of ROP were those micropremies with birth weights <750 g (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe ROP continues to be a significant morbidity among infants <750 g.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants' Hospital, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI 02905, USA.
authors.forename: Maureen T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Betty R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Vohr
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cashore
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies