title: Treatment of retinopathy of prematurity in Northern Ireland, 2000-2011: a population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence of treatment-requiring retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) over a 12-year-period in Northern Ireland.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of all infants treated for ROP from January 2000 to December 2011 were retrospectively reviewed and cross-referenced with the Neonatal Intensive Care Outcomes Research and Evaluation (NICORE) database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Northern Ireland population data showed an increase in the number of live births from 2000 to 2011. The proportion of babies born with a birth weight <1501 g and/or <32 weeks' gestational age remained constant (χ(2) trend = 3.220, P = 0.0727), although the proportion of these babies who died prior to 42 weeks' gestation decreased from 2000 to 2011 (P = 0.0196 using χ(2) for trend = 5.445; P = 0.0354 using χ(2) = 20.809). The prevalence of treatment-requiring ROP in these infants increased from 1.05% in 2000 to 5.78% in 2011 (P < 0.001 using χ(2) trend = 16.309; P < 0.001 using χ(2) = 31.378).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present population-based study highlights that the incidence of treatment- requiring ROP is increasing in Northern Ireland. The increasing number of infants requiring treatment will need to be taken into consideration in the commissioning process for ROP services in Northern Ireland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom. Electronic address: sarahchamney@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chamney
authors.affiliation: Regional Neonatal Unit, Royal Maternity Hospital, Belfast, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McGrory
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive care Outcomes Research & Evaluation (NICORE), Queens University Belfast, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCall
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Suhair
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Twaij
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napier
authors.affiliation: CenSSOR (Centre for Statistical Science and Operational Research), Queens University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rollins
authors.affiliation: CenSSOR (Centre for Statistical Science and Operational Research), Queens University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Adele H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: Regional Neonatal Unit, Royal Maternity Hospital, Belfast, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom; Neonatal Intensive care Outcomes Research & Evaluation (NICORE), Queens University Belfast, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Eibhlin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McLoone
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D009660:Northern Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index