Retinopathy of prematurity in Bangladeshi neonates.
BACKGROUND
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding eye disorder that primarily affects premature infants. Increased survival of extremely low birth weight infants following advances in antenatal and neonatal care has resulted in a population of infants at high risk of developing ROP. Long term morbidity of ROP has a spectrum ranging from myopia to blindness. Screening programs and early intervention can provide enormous economic and social benefits.


METHODS
Preterm infants of gestational age <33 weeks admitted to the Special Care Nursery of Dhaka Shishu Hospital for a trial of topical emollient therapy during December 1998-July 2003 were followed-up after hospital discharge, including detailed ophthalmologic examination. Detailed history regarding risks during pregnancy, delivery and hospital stay was documented. ROP cases were managed according to the stage of the disease at diagnosis.


RESULTS
Five out of the 114 (4.4%) children seen in follow-up were diagnosed with ROP. Low gestational age, low birth weight, administration of oxygen, apneic spells, sepsis and blood transfusions were common factors among cases who developed ROP.


CONCLUSIONS
As survival of preterm infants in low resource settings increases, ROP will become increasingly important as a potential cause of blindness, emphasizing the critical need for ophthalmologic examination in premature infants, with immediate initiation of treatment when ROP is diagnosed.
Ahmed
A S M Nawshad Uddin
AS
Department of Neonatology, Dhaka Shishu Children's Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Muslima
Humaira
H
Anwar
Kazi Shabbir
KS
Khan
Naila Z
NZ
Chowdhury
M A K Azad
MA
Saha
Samir K
SK
Darmstadt
Gary L
GL
D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D001766:Blindness / Q000517:prevention & control; D004643:Emollients / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004643:Emollients; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions