Risk factors for severe retinopathy of prematurity in premature infants: a single-center study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence and risk factors for severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants.


METHODS
Between May, 2008 and May, 2011, a total of 957 preterm infants at 4-6 weeks of chronological age or 32 weeks of postmenstrual age underwent retinal evaluation by RetCamII in our center, and the data of infants with ROP in any stage were analyzed.


RESULTS
Among the 957 preterm infants, we found 86 (8.99%) infants to have ROP in different stages, including 60 (6.27%) with mild ROP and 26 (2.72%) with severe ROP. The birth weight and gestational age of the infants with severe ROP averaged 1 420.40∓328.64 g and 29.88∓1.67 weeks, as compared to 1 593.28∓339.30 g and 31.78∓2.53 weeks in those with mild ROP, respectively, showing a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.005). The significant variables for severe ROP included gestational age (P=0.001), birth weight (P=0.035), 1 min Apgar score (P=0.001), 5 min Apgar score (P=0.005), number of blood transfusions (P=0.032), and the presence of apnea (P=0.04) and retinal hemorrhage (P=0.000). Gestational age and retinal hemorrhage were the independent risk factors for severe ROP (OR=0.353, 95%CI 0.163-0.763, P=0.008; OR=26.133, 95%CI 3.042-224.501, P=0.035).


CONCLUSIONS
Severe ROP tends to have a decreasing incidence and occurs more often in more mature preterm infants. The affected infants have the characteristics of the first epidemics. Gestational age and retinal hemorrhage are independent predictive factors for severe ROP.
Department of Ophthalmology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. keyan96612@163.com
Xiao-yun
XY
Ke
Rui-hong
RH
Ju
Jia-qing
JQ
Zhang
Hui
H
Chen
Er-xia
EX
Wei
Xiao-hong
XH
Chen
D001724:Birth Weight; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors