Reduced oxygen protocol decreases the incidence of threshold retinopathy of prematurity in infants of <33 weeks gestation.
BACKGROUND
The relationship between oxygen and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has been studied frequently, and a pulse oximeter has the potential to facilitate the control of oxygen fluctuation in neonates. The objective of the present study was to compare the incidence of threshold ROP (stage 3 requiring laser treatment and stage 4) in infants of <33 weeks gestation after implementing a new clinical O(2) management practice.


METHODS
A retrospective study of data from the Kyoto First Red Cross Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from 1 July 2004 to 31 October 2007 (closed 1 December 2006-30 March 2007 for reconstruction). A reduced oxygen protocol was implemented to maintain oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) values using a pulse oximeter between 88% and 92%. The incidence of threshold ROP in the earlier period (1 July 2004-31 December 2005) and the later period (1 January 2006-31 October 2007) were compared.


RESULTS
The incidence of threshold ROP significantly decreased from 32.2% to 16.7%, after changing to the reduced oxygen protocol (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
A significant decrease in the rate of threshold ROP in infants of <33 weeks gestation was observed after implementation of the new clinical O(2) management practice.
Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto First Red Cross Hospital, Honmachi, Kyoto, Japan. toqbb437@city.kyoto.jp
Yumiko
Y
Tokuhiro
Tomoko
T
Yoshida
Yoshinobu
Y
Nakabayashi
Shohei
S
Nakauchi
Yumi
Y
Nakagawa
Minako
M
Kihara
Nobuto
N
Mitsufuji
Zenro
Z
Kizaki
D001724:Birth Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D010092:Oximetry; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies