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 admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of University Hospital Split, over a 5-year period between January 2012, and December 2016. In this paper 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 birthweight (BW) were significantly lower among infants with ROP versus those without ROP (29: 23-34 vs. 31: 23-34,p<0,001 and 1,180:630-2,000 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.
Highlights
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the most widely recognized cause of visual impairment after preterm birth
Our results indicate that the overall incidence of any retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) for the entire cohort was 24% with 9% of infants having severe ROP reqiuring surgery
In our study severe ROP was found in more mature infants with birth weight > 1500 grams and gestational age ≥ 31 weeks
Summary
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the most widely recognized cause of visual impairment after preterm birth. It is defined as a proliferative disorder of the developing retinal blood vessels in preterm infants which may lead to poor visual acuity or blindness [1]. 50 000 children worldwide are blind due to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and many more have significant visual disturbances [2]. Of ROP varies greatly among countries, being influenced by level of neonatal care and by the availability of effective screening and treatment programs [3],[4]. The classic risk factors for ROP include low gestational age, low birth weight, and exposure to an oxygen rich environment [5],[6],[7]
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