title: Microstructural changes in the retina related to prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess retinal morphology changes in patients born at different stages of prematurity, accounting for the presence or absence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and comorbidity, using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preterm and term infants underwent an ophthalmologic assessment (best-corrected visual acuity, stereoacuity, cycloplegic refraction and funduscopy). Retinal layers were imaged, segmented, and measured by SD-OCT. In total 114 full term controls and 60 preterm children, classified as late preterm (32-36 weeks gestational age), early preterm (<32 weeks of gestational age) without ROP, and early preterm with previously treated ROP, were included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No retinal structure differences were observed in preterm infants with no treated ROP compared to term infants. Early preterm infants with previous treated ROP had decreased retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in the superior and nasal quadrants, increased RNFL in the temporal quadrant, and a thinner ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer complex (GCL-IPL). Low birthweight percentile was associated with increased foveal thickness and ganglion cell damage (RNFL and GCL-IPL) independent of gestational age. Among all the coexisting events, inflammation and hypoxia were correlated with more severe detrimental effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the absence of treated ROP, prematurity was not associated with disturbed retinal structure. Severe ROP and low birthweight were related to neuronal and axonal damage in the inner retinal layers. Detailed comorbidity should be reviewed when evaluating preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: vpueyo@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pueyo
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Altemir
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Galadriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.affiliation: Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza, Spain; Obstetrics Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oros
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D047929:Term Birth; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology