- ROP,
- prematurity,
- risk factor,
- incidence
Copyright (c) 2018 Vucinovic et al.
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Abstract
Purpose: To study the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in a neonatal intensive care unit in Croatia
and obtain information on risk factors associated with ROP. There have been limited studies on ROP in Croatia
where the screening for ROP and its treatment is still insufficient and not introduced in many intensive care units.
Material and methods: This retrospective study included 247 premature infants (birth weight (BW) ≤ 1500 g or
gestational age (GA) ≤ 32 weeks; and BW between 1500 g and 2000 g or GA >32 weeks if there was an unstable clinical course), admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of University Hospital Split, over a 5-year period between January 2012, and December 2016. The relationship between clinical risk factors and the development of ROP was analyzed..
Results: The overall incidence for ROP was 23.9% (59 infants), for Type 1 ROP was 9.3% (23 infants); for Type 2 ROP was 14.6% (36 infants). Median gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW) were significantly lower among infants with ROP versus those without ROP (29: 23-34 vs. 31: 23-34, p < 0.001 and 1180:630-2000 vs. 1485:590-2000, p < 0.001 respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that only BW (p=0.029) and small for gestational age (SGA) (p=0.045) predicted the development of ROP.
Conclusion: Birth weight and small for gestational age were the most significant risk factors for developing ROP. In comparison with studies from highly developed countries, infants with a much wider range of gestational age and birth weights are developing type 1 ROP.