Incidence and Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Mashhad, Northeast Iran

Majid Abrishami,Zakiye Yaeghobi,Gholam-Ali Maemori,Shahin Mafi-Nejad,Mojtaba Abrishami,Hassan Boskabadi

doi:10.5812/ircmj.4513

Abstract

BackgroundRetinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vascular retinal disease that can cause low vision or blindness and affects premature newborns of very low birth weight.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors for ROP among very premature infants in Mashhad located northeast of Iran.Material and MethodsIn this cross-sectional study performed between 2006 and 2010, predisposing factors and severity of ROP were evaluated in very premature infants (<32 gestational weeks). Consecutive infants were enrolled at birth and screened for ROP at 4 to 6 weeks of age by indirect ophthalmoscopy. Severe ROP was defined as stage 4 or 5. Chi-square, Student’s t-, and Fisher’s test were used for statistical analysis.ResultsThe incidence of ROP was 26.2%. Significant differences between the ROP and control groups were observed, these include; gestational age, sex, birth weight, Apgar score, durationof parenteral nutrition, oxygen therapy, phototherapy, maximum PaO2 and minimum SpO2 (P < 0.05). Severe ROP was seen in 31.4% (11/32) of ROP cases (5.4% of newborns).ConclusionThe incidence of ROP is relatively high in this region. Risk factors for ROP among very premature infants include hypoxia, severe hyperoxia, relatively low blood SPO2, gestational age, birth weight, and Apgar score.

Highlights

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vascular retinal disease that can cause low vision or blindness and affects premature newborns of very low birth weight
We evaluated the ROP incidence and risk factors in a tertiary hospital in Mashhad, enrolling infants at gestational age of < 32 weeks
In a recent study performed in Babol, northern of Iran, the incidence of ROP was 47.3% for infants with gestational age of ≤ 32 weeks and 33.3% for infants with birth weight of < 1500 g, whereas ROP developed in 2 infants (6%) with birth weight of > 2000 g (14)

Summary

Introduction

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vascular retinal disease that can cause low vision or blindness and affects premature newborns of very low birth weight. Risk factors for ROP among very premature infants include hypoxia, severe hyperoxia, relatively low blood SPO2, gestational age, birth weight, and Apgar score. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disease which affects premature newborns with very low birth weight and it can result in low vision and in severe cases blindness. Many studies worldwide have focused on the incidence of ROP, owing to the increasing survival rates among premature infants. The incidence of ROP remains low in poor countries, due to the low survival rate of premature infants (1). The improvement of neonatal care in Iran has increased the survival rate of premature infants and the incidence of ROP.

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