J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1997 Jul;40(7):945-954.

A Clinical Study for the Time of Development and Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity

• Park EA
• Kim GH

Abstract

PURPOSE
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disorder of developing retinal blood vessels in extremely premature infants. In the 1950's, the relationship of ROP and prolonged administraion of oxygen was demonstrated by many randomized clinical trials. After than, Oxygen use was severely restricted and the incidence of ROP was decreased. However, with the development of modern intensive care, ventilator, artificial surfactant, and other technology, the survival of extremely premature infants and incidence of ROP are increasing So we studied the time of development and risk factors of ROP. We also studied to decide the optimal time of mass screening in the preterm infants.
METHODS
We studied 436 infants who was admitted in NICU of Ewha Womans Uninvesity Hospital for the treatment of RDS, prematurity or other reasons. They were examined by indirect opthalmoscope to schedule.
RESULTS
1) Among 436 infants, 49 infants (11.2%) were diagnosed as a retinopathy of prematurity. 2) The indicence of ROP increased with small gestational ages and low birth weights and the mean gestational age in the group of ROP was 30.9+/-4.0weeks and mean birth weight was 1450+/-352gms. 3) Mean age of first diagnosing time was 5.6 weeks after birth and the range of distribution was very wide. But mean age of first diagnosing time in gestational age was 36.3 weeks and it's range was narrow 4) The risk factors of ROP were prolonged use of oxygen, high concentration of oxygen with ventilator, frequent apnea, sepsis, hyaline membrane disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the use of xanthine derivatives, phototherapy over than 1 week, surfactant treatment, perinatal asphyxia.
CONCLUSION
Retinopathy of prematurity has a relationship with small gestational period, low birth weights, long duration of high oxygen, and other risk factors. The optimal period of mass screening in preterm infants for ROP is from 33 weeks to 36 weeks gestational age rather than chronological age after birth.

Keyword

Retinopathy of prematurity; Risk factors; Time of development

MeSH Terms

Apnea
Appointments and Schedules
Asphyxia
Birth Weight
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Hyaline Membrane Disease
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Extremely Premature
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Critical Care
Mass Screening
Oxygen
Parturition
Phototherapy
Retinal Vessels
Retinopathy of Prematurity*
Risk Factors*
Sepsis
Ventilators, Mechanical
Xanthine
Oxygen
Xanthine