An epidemiological analysis of retinopathy of prematurity over 10 years.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in a single neonatal intensive care unit over 10 years to clarify its ROP profile and how it was modified by advances in neonatal care.


METHODS
Epidemiological data related to incidence and severity of ROP were collected over 10 years. Premature infants with a birth weight of less than 1,500 g underwent a screening fundus examination and ROP was defined according to the International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity. The survival rates and incidence of ROP were calculated and compared for two consecutive time periods (1995-1999 vs 2000-2004), dividing the study population into subgroups according to their birth weights and gestational age.


RESULTS
Data of 607 preterm infants were collected. Survival rate significantly improved in the later time period (from 76.6% to 88.6%). The incidence of total, severe, and surgical ROP did not differ overall in the two time periods despite changes in survival rate, although some changes occurred in the most immature infants over time.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased survival of immature infants seemed to correlate with an increased risk for severe ROP and need for retinal ablation therapy, even if the incidence did not reach statistical significance.
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Catholic University Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Carmen
C
Giannantonio
Patrizia
P
Papacci
Fernando
F
Molle
Domenico
D
Lepore
Francesca
F
Gallini
Costantino
C
Romagnoli
D001724:Birth Weight; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015996:Survival Rate