Retinopathy of prematurity occurrence and evaluation of screening policy in a large tertiary Greek cohort.

Abstract

To assess the frequency of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and evaluate the appropriateness of screening guidelines in a tertiary hospital in Thessaloniki, Greece. Retrospective review of consecutive infants admitted to the IInd Department of the Neonatal Care Unit of Aristotle University in the period April 2004-2015. ROP screening took place according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Royal College of Ophthalmologists (UK) guidelines [i.e. gestational age < 32weeks and/or birth weight < 1501g)], plus a few additional cases due to comorbidity. 1178 out of the 8782 admitted infants underwent ROP screening. ROP was detected in 232 (19.7%) infants of whom 87 developed severe form of the disease (i.e. ≥ stage 3). Treatment was required in 30 (2.5%) infants, all of whom fulfilled the screening criteria. Two of the 206 infants who were additionally screened due to comorbidity developed severe ROP which regressed spontaneously. Disease regression was achieved in 27/29 (93%) treated infants who survived. The frequency of ROP observed in this cohort was as low as that reported in other developed countries. The currently used screening criteria permitted identification of all infants who were at risk and, therefore, need not be changed.