Association Between Retinopathy of Prematurity in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants and Neurodevelopmental Impairment

Abstract

To evaluate the impact of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) severity and the treatment of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) on neurodevelopmental impairment in early childhood. Prospective cohort study. This was a prospective cohort study. The data were obtained from the Korean Neonatal Network (KNN), a nationwide registry for VLBWIs. Infants who were born from 2013 to 2015 and underwent ROP evaluation at birth and neurodevelopmental examinations at corrected ages of 18 to 24 months were included in the study. Infants with a history of meningitis or severe congenital anomalies were excluded. The VLBWI patients were grouped into no ROP, no treatment-requiring ROP (non-TR-ROP), and treatment-requiring ROP (TR-ROP) groups. Neurodevelopmental impairment was defined as participants who had at least 1 developmental problem according to the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-2nd Edition (Bayley-II; <70), Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-3rd Edition (Bayley-III; <70), and Korean Developmental Screening Test (K-DST) tests (below -1 SD), and the Korean Ages and Stages Questionnaire (K-ASQ) (below the threshold) and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS; at level 2 or above). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between ROP and neurodevelopmental impairment. Among 3132 infants, 1093 (34.9%) had ROP. Among the ROP infants, 644 were not treated for ROP (non-TR-ROP group) and 449 received ROP treatments (TR-ROP group). The patients in the TR-ROP group had an increased risk of developing neurodevelopmental problems compared to those in the no ROP group (odds ratio [OR]=1.72, 95% CI=1.33-2.21). The TR-ROP group had a higher risk of all 3 types of neurodevelopmental problems: mental (OR=1.62, 95% CI=1.25-2.09), social (OR=1.62, 95% CI=1.12-2.09), and motor (OR=1.69, 95% CI=1.31-2.18). The risk of neurodevelopmental problems in patients treated with laser therapy did not differ from that in patients treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy (OR=1.17, 95% CI=0.73-1.88). ROP was independently associated with neurodevelopmental impairment in early childhood. The type of ROP treatment (anti-VEGF or laser treatment) did not affect neurodevelopmental impairment in patients in the TR-ROP group.