Ocular complications at the limits of viability.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and other ocular morbidities in extremely premature infants.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of the prevalence and nature of ocular abnormalities in a cohort of 22 extremely pre-term infants born <25 + 0 weeks of estimated gestational age (GA) was performed.


RESULTS
The children were grouped according to the observed disorder: 13 out of 22 (59%) neonates with mild ophthalmologic findings (ROP < or = stage II) [Group 1], 5 out of 22 (23%) infants with ROP stage III or more (Group 2) and 4 out of 22 (18%) neonates with severe ocular morbidity (congenital cataract, microphthalmia, partial optic nerve atrophy and corneal perforation due to an ulcer with lens protrusion), partly combined with ROP > or = stage III (three of four). One child of 22 (5%) needed laser therapy. Out of 22 admitted infants, 20 (91%) were discharged alive.


CONCLUSIONS
The high rate of ocular morbidity besides ROP in extremely pre-term infants is noteworthy. Mechanisms influencing the postnatal development of the eye, especially their relation to the grade of prematurity and neonatological therapeutical strategies, require further investigations.
Pulzer
Ferdinand
F
Children's Hospital, University of Leipzig, Germany. f.pulzer@gmx.de
Robel-Tillig
Eva
E
Knüpfer
Matthias
M
Foja
Christian
C
Gebauer
Corinna
C
Kiess
Wieland
W
D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005328:Fetal Viability; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007902:Length of Stay; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000453:epidemiology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies