title: The importance of oxygen control reaffirmed: experience of ROP reduction at a single tertiary care center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the impact of the adoption of a low oxygen saturation policy on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) incidence at a single tertiary care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  ROP incidence, procedures for ROP, and neonatal outcome among very low birth weight infants were compared before and after the adoption of a low saturation policy, which took place in 2004. The Mann– Whitney test was performed to look for differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of severe ROP significantly decreased from 5.3% of live very low birth weight infants between 1999 and 2004 to 1% of live very low birth weight infants between 2005 and 2012 (P = .003). The use of laser therapy for severe ROP between the same periods significantly decreased from 6.4% of live very low birth weight infants between 1999 and 2004 to 0.6% of live very low birth weight infants between 2005 and 2012 (P = .002). There was also a significant reduction of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia from 33.8% between 1999 and 2004 to 24.2% between 2005 and 2012 (P = .02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Trained personnel and low and tailored oxygen saturation intervals for very low birth weight infants could play a pivotal role in reducing the incidence of severe ROP without increasing mortality.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nobile
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gnocchini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pantanetti
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Battistini
authors.forename: Virgilio P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Carnielli
mesh_terms: D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen