title: The incidence and risk factors of severe retinopathy of prematurity in extremely low birth weight infants in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) requiring laser treatment and the overall incidence of ROP in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants, and to evaluate the associated risk factors for developing severe ROP in ELBW infants in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective, case-control, tertiary care-hospital based study included 235 ELBW infants screened for ROP. The incidence of the onset of ROP and severe ROP requiring laser treatment were assessed. The relationship between various clinical risk factors, and the development of severe ROP and onset of ROP were analyzed using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall incidence of any stage ROP and severe ROP requiring laser treatment in ELBW infants was 75.5% and 38.7%, respectively. Severe ROP requiring laser treatment in ELBW infants was significantly associated with various independent risk factors, including blood transfusion (P=0.002), gestational age at birth (P<0.001), ges- tational weight at birth (P=0.001), culture-proven sepsis (P=0.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The severity of ROP may increase as weight at birth and gestational age at birth decrease, and in those with culture-proven sepsis as well as in those that receive blood transfusion. Clinicians should be aware of the presence of these risk factors when treating ELBW premature infants. Early detection and prevention of sepsis and reducing the number of blood transfusions may decrease the incidence of severe ROP requiring laser treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nigde State Hospital, Nigde, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali Riza Cenk
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Celebi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Etlik Zubeyde Hanim Maternity and Women Health Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ikbal Seza
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Petricli
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Etlik Zubeyde Hanim Maternity and Women Health Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hekimoglu
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Neonatology, Etlik Zubeyde Hanim Maternity and Women Health Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Demirel
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Neonatology, Etlik Zubeyde Hanim Maternity and Women Health Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet Yagmur
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Bas
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology