title: Retinopathy of prematurity in southern Taiwan: a 10-year tertiary medical center study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness. This retrospective study investigated ROP, including incidence, demographic information,risk factors, treatments, and refractive outcomes, in southern Taiwan over a 10-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors retrieved the National Cheng Kung University Hospital database between the years 2000 and 2009 for newborns with a gestational age less than 32 weeks and/or with a birth weight less than 1500 g who had been screened for ROP. We recorded sex, birth weight, gestational age, in-hospital versus out-of-hospital birth, paternal and maternal ages, whether there were multiple gestations, parity, Apgar scores, length of hospital stay, risk factors, presence and severity of ROP and whether it was treated, and refraction at the last visit. Regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for ROP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 503 live births were included. ROP was identified in 190 (37.8%) and met criteria for treatment in 59 (11.7%).ROP was diagnosed as stage 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in 61 (12.1%), 36 (7.2%), 81 (16.1%), 11 (2.2%), and 1 (0.2%) infant, respectively. Lower birth weight and younger gestational age were risk factors for greater severity of ROP (p < 0.001). Of the 167 with extremely low birth weight (<1000 g), 118 (70.7%) had ROP and 49 (29.3%) required treatment. On univariate analysis, low birth weight, younger gestational age, and risk factors such as respiratory distress syndrome, chronic lung disease, patent ductus arteriosus, surfactant usage, indomethacin usage, sepsis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, blood transfusion, and necrotizing enterocolitis were associated with ROP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only lower birth weight was a significant and independent risk factor for ROP. Myopia (76%)and anisometropia (28%)were common in advanced ROP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low birth weight is a major risk factor for ROP. Infants with extremely low birth weight had a higher risk of severe ROP. Common ocular sequelae of advanced ROP were myopia and anisometropia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sheng-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Yi-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Min-Hsiu
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Yung-Chieh
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chyi-Her
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hui-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Sung-Huei
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tseng
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
keywords: refractive outcomes; retinopathy of prematurity; risk factors; treatment