Mild Retinopathy Of Prematurity Research Articles

Computer-aided detection of retinopathy of prematurity severity assessment via vessel tortuosity measurement in preterm infants' fundus images.

To develop a computer-aided diagnostic system for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) disease using retinal vessel morphological features. A total of 200 fundus images from 136 preterm infants with stage 1 to 3 ROP were analysed. Two methods were developed to measure vessel tortuosity: the peak-and-valley method and the polynomial curve fitting method. Correlations between temporal artery tortuosity (TAT) and temporal vein tortuosity (TVT) with ROP severity were investigated, and vessel tortuosity relationships with vessel angles (TAA and TVA) and vessel widths (TAW and TVW). A separate dataset from Japan containing 126 images from 97 preterm patients was used for verification. Both methods identified similar tortuosity in images without ROP and mild ROP cases. However, the polynomial curve fit method demonstrated enhanced tortuosity detection in stages 2 and 3 ROP compared to the peak and valley method. A strong positive correlation was revealed between ROP severity and increased arterial and venous tortuosity (P < 0.0001). A significant negative correlation between TAA and TAT (r = -0.485, P < 0.0001) and TVA and TVT (r = -0.281, P < 0.0001), and a significant positive correlation between TAW and TAT (r = 0.204, P value = 0.0040) were identified. Similar results were found in the test dataset from Japan. ROP severity was associated with increased retinal tortuosity and retinal vessel width while displaying a decrease in retinal vascular angle. This quantitative analysis of retinal vessels provides crucial insights for advancing ROP diagnosis and understanding its progression.

Tear fluid cytokine analysis: a non-invasive approach for assessing retinopathy of prematurity severity.

To determine whether there is a significant association between inflammatory cytokines in the tear fluid and the severity of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). Retrospective cohort study. The cytokine levels in tear fluids were determined in 34 eyes with ROP and 18 eyes without ROP. There were 15 eyes with severe ROP requiring treatment and 19 eyes with mild ROP not requiring treatment. For severe ROP eyes, tear fluids were collected before treatment. Significantly higher levels of CCL2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected in eyes with severe ROP compared to eyes with mild ROP and no ROP. When assessed for cytokine levels that discriminate each disease group, CCL2 showed a significant odds ratio of 1.76 for severity change (/quintile, P = 0.032, after adjusting for birth weight). Correlation analysis showed that birth weight correlated with IL-1α levels, and decreased weight gain increased IFN-γ levels. We next determined tear fluid cytokines which discriminate severe ROP using receiver operating characteristics' analysis. We found that combination of higher CCL2 levels, higher VEGF levels, and lower IFN-γ levels in the tear fluid had a stronger predictive value for severe ROP (area under curve, 0.85). The levels of CCL2, VEGF, and IFN-γ in tear fluid may serve as useful biomarkers for assessing the severity of ROP.

Tear fluid cytokine analysis: a non-invasive approach for assessing retinopathy of prematurity severity.

To determine whether there is a significant association between inflammatory cytokines in the tear fluid and the severity of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). Retrospective cohort study. The cytokine levels in tear fluids were determined in 34 eyes with ROP and 18 eyes without ROP. There were 15 eyes with severe ROP requiring treatment and 19 eyes with mild ROP not requiring treatment. For severe ROP eyes, tear fluids were collected before treatment. Significantly higher levels of CCL2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected in eyes with severe ROP compared to eyes with mild ROP and no ROP. When assessed for cytokine levels that discriminate each disease group, CCL2 showed a significant odds ratio of 1.76 for severity change (/quintile, P = 0.032, after adjusting for birth weight). Correlation analysis showed that birth weight correlated with IL-1α levels, and decreased weight gain increased IFN-γ levels. We next determined tear fluid cytokines which discriminate severe ROP using receiver operating characteristics' analysis. We found that combination of higher CCL2 levels, higher VEGF levels, and lower IFN-γ levels in the tear fluid had a stronger predictive value for severe ROP (area under curve, 0.85). The levels of CCL2, VEGF, and IFN-γ in tear fluid may serve as useful biomarkers for assessing the severity of ROP.

Image-free recognition of moderate ROP from mild with machine learning algorithm on plasma Raman spectrum

The retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can cause serious clinical consequences and, fortunately, it is remediable while the time window for treatment is relatively narrow. Therefore, it is urgent to screen all premature infants and diagnose ROP degree timely, which has become a large workload for pediatric ophthalmologists. We developed a retinal image-free procedure using small amount of blood samples based on the plasma Raman spectrum with the machine learning model to automatically classify ROP cases before medical intervention was performed. Statistical differences in infrared Raman spectra of plasma samples were found among the control, mild (ZIIIS1), moderate (ZIIIS2 & ZIIS1), and advanced (ZIIS2) ROP groups. With the different wave points of Raman spectra as the inputs, the outputs of our support vector machine showed that the area under the curves in the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) were 0.763 for the pair comparisons of the control with the mild groups, 0.821 between moderate and advanced groups (ZIIS2), while more than 90% in comparisons of the other four pairs: control vs. moderate (0.981), control vs. advanced (0.963), mild vs. moderate (0.936), and mild vs. advanced (0.953), respectively. Our study could advance principally the ROP diagnosis in two dimensions: the moderate ROPs have been classified remarkably from the mild ones, which leaves more time for the medical treatments, and the procedure of Raman spectrum with a machine learning model based on blood samples can be conveniently promoted to those hospitals lacking of the pediatric ophthalmologists with experience in reading retinal images.

Associations of VEGF Polymorphisms With Retinopathy of Prematurity.

This study investigated the associations between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) polymorphisms and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) risk. Infants born prematurely at any time from 2009 to 2018 were included. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of VEGF were analyzed using real-time PCR in all infants. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to model the associations between VEGF polymorphisms and ROP susceptibility, severity, and premature clinicopathologic characteristics. A total of 334 patients were included and categorized into three groups: those without ROP, those with mild ROP (i.e., ROP not requiring treatment), and those with severe ROP (i.e., ROP for whom treatment was indicated). Among the female patients with ROP, those with VEGF rs3025035 CT (3.231-fold; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.238-8.431) and a combination of CT and TT genotypes (2.643-fold; 95% CI, 1.056-6.619) exhibited significantly higher risks of severe ROP compared with those with wild-type genotypes. Female ROP infants with VEGF rs3025010 C (TC + CC) alleles had a lower risk of ROP stage ≥3 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.406; 95% CI, 0.165-0.999) than those with TT homozygotes. ROP patients with the VEGF rs10434 A allele (GA + AA) exhibited higher risks of necrotizing enterocolitis (OR = 2.750; 95% CI, 1.119-6.759) and lower risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (OR = 0.390; 95% CI, 0.173-0.877) than those with GG homozygotes did. VEGF polymorphisms affect ROP risks differently in male and female infants. In female infants, VEGF rs3025035 with T alleles may predict ROP severity, and VEGF rs3025010 with C alleles may protect against severe ROP.

Clinical feature and predictive factor analysis for spontaneous regression of retinopathy of prematurity in a Chinese population.

To investigate the ratio of spontaneous regression of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and to explore the possible relevant predictive factors. A retrospective review of 405 infants who were diagnosed with ROP and mother during pregnancy were collected. Stage, zone, and duration of ROP were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed on 51 possible predictive factors. Totally 356 infants showed spontaneous regression. The incidence was 100%, 95.3%, and 22.7% in stage 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The 13.4% of the ROP with plus disease eventually resolved spontaneously. All affected eyes of aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (AP-ROP) failed to spontaneously regress. The mean duration of ROP was 7.2wk in patients with spontaneous resolution of ROP. Days of mechanical ventilation (OR=0.981, 95%CI, 0.965-0.997, P=0.021), retinal hemorrhage (OR=0.173, 95%CI, 0.064-0.470, P=0.001), delivery pattern (OR=2.750, 95%CI, 1.132-6.681, P=0.025), maternal anemia in pregnancy (OR=0.142, 95%CI, 0.036-0.563, P=0.005), the stages (at initial diagnosis OR=0.183, 95%CI, 0.041-0.816, P=0.026; at final diagnosis OR=0.031, 95%CI, 0.006-0.167, P<0.001), and with plus disease or not (OR=0.005, 95%CI, 0.001-0.031, P<0.001) were independent predictive factors of the spontaneous regression of ROP. Most mild ROP can spontaneously resolve. Active treatment is still recommended for stage 3 ROP, zone I ROP, AP-ROP, and ROP with plus disease. Prolonged mechanical ventilation and concurrent retinal hemorrhage reduce the likelihood of spontaneous ROP resolution. The pattern of delivery and the mother's anemia during pregnancy can also affect the prognosis of ROP.

Refractive status and optical components in premature infants with and without retinopathy of prematurity: A 4- to 5-year cohort study.

This study was aimed to investigate the characteristics of refractive parameters in premature infants and children aged 3-8 years with mild retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and to explore the effects of premature delivery and mild ROP on the development of refractive status and ocular optical components. Premature infants who underwent ocular fundus oculi screening in our hospital between January 2009 and February 2011 were included and divided into the ROP group and the non-ROP group. Full-term infants were the controls. The results of the annual ocular examination conducted between 2014 and 2018 were analysed, and the refractive status, optical components, and developmental trends were compared among the three groups. The total follow-up time was 4-5 years. The prevalence of myopia and astigmatism was high in the ROP group (P < 0.05). In the non-ROP group, the prevalence of myopia was also higher than that in the control group. The prevalence of myopia increased with age in the ROP and non-ROP groups, while the prevalence of astigmatism remained unchanged. In the ROP group, the corneal refractive power was the largest, the lens was the thickest and the ocular axis was the shortest; in the control group, the corneal refractive power was the smallest, the lens was the thinnest, and the ocular axis was the longest. These parameters in the non-ROP group were between those in the two groups mentioned above (P < 0.05). The corneal refractive power was relatively stable at 3-8 years old in the three groups. The change in lens thickness was small in both the ROP group and the non-ROP group (P = 0.75, P = 0.06), and the lens became thinner in the control group (P < 0.001). The length of the ocular axis increased in the three groups. Preterm infants are more likely to develop myopia than full-term infants, and children with ROP are more likely to develop both myopia and astigmatism. Thicker lenses were the main cause of the high prevalence of myopia in premature infants with or without ROP.

Nontype 1 Retinopathy of Prematurity: Disease Profile and Indications of Treatment

Purpose: To study the features of “nontype 1” retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and indications of treatment. Design: Retrospective study. Methods: Medical records of inborn or outborn neonates screened for ROP from tertiary level special newborn care unit according to national screening guidelines were analyzed. Infants diagnosed with milder than type 1 ROP, not progressing to type 1 ROP, with complete medical records were included. Features, morphology, staging and indications of treatment were recorded. Preplus disease was studied as a risk factor for treatment. Results: 464 eyes (232 infants) were screened. Thirty eyes of 16 infants with non-type 1 ROP were included. Twelve out of 30 such eyes (40.0%) underwent treatment. Three had type 2 ROP, all of which were treated, 27 had mild type ROP, 9 of which were treated. So, out of 12 eyes, 3 (25.0%) were treated due to structural abnormalities (anteroposterior traction on retina, flat retinal fibrosis, vitreous hemorrhage) and 9 out of 12 eyes (75.0%) due to persistent ROP. Eyes with preplus disease were 2.33 times more likely to be treated; presence of preplus disease came out to be a significant risk factor for treatment. Conclusions: Persistent ROP with increasing weight and structural abnormalities were the major indication of treatment in milder than type 1 ROP. Presence of preplus disease was also an important risk factor for treatment.

Retinopathy of Prematurity Is a Biomarker for Pathological Processes in the Immature Brain

Introduction: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is considered a neurovascular disease. We investigated whether ROP, mild or severe, is associated with neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in extremely preterm children. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study in southern Taiwan. A total of 394 children <28 weeks of gestation who survived to discharge from 2011 to 2018 received neurodevelopmental assessment at corrected age of 24 months. Severe ROP was defined as ROP of stages 2 plus or worse, or recipients of retinal therapy, and mild ROP as stage 1 or 2 in at least one eye. NDI was defined as cognitive or motor impairment using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, moderate to severe cerebral palsy, or profound hearing loss. Results: Among the 374 children validated for analysis, 157 children (42%) had non-ROP, 145 (39%) mild ROP, and 72 (19%) severe ROP. As ROP severity increased progressively from non-ROP, to mild ROP, and to severe ROP, the rates of NDI increased from 25%, to 46%, and to 61%. The multivariable logistic regression showed that the model included three levels of ROP, and neonatal morbidities achieved better overall performance for NDI than the model that included neonatal morbidities alone. Compared with non-ROP, mild ROP and severe ROP had adjusted odds ratios of 1.90 (95% CI: 1.10–3.28) and 2.75 (95% CI: 1.33–5.67) for NDI, respectively. Conclusion: Mild ROP and severe ROP are independent neonatal morbidities associated with NDI. Neurodevelopmental follow-up of extremely preterm children with any stage of ROP is needed.

Correlation between apelin and VEGF levels in retinopathy of prematurity: a matched case–control study

BackgroundAlthough several clinical studies have analysed the relationship between the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and apelin-13 in venous blood and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), no definitive conclusions have been reached. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between apelin-13 levels and VEGF levels and ROP.MethodsDifferences in plasma apelin-13 and VEGF levels were analysed in two groups of infants born with birth weight < 1500 g and gestational age < 32 weeks at Peking University People’ s Hospital. One group comprised infants diagnosed with ROP and the other group was a control group comprising infants without ROP.ResultsApelin-13 levels were significantly lower in the ROP group than in the control group, while VEGF levels showed the opposite result (both P < 0.001). Infants with severe ROP had lower apelin-13 levels and higher VEGF levels than with mild ROP (both P < 0.05).The receiver operating characteristic curve for apelin-13 level as the indicator of ROP showed that a cut-off value of 119.6 pg/mL yielded a sensitivity of 84.8% and a specificity of 63.6%, while for VEGF level, the cut-off value of 84.3 pg/mL exhibited a sensitivity of 84.8% and a specificity of 66.7%.ConclusionsPlasma apelin-13 and VEGF levels at 4–6 weeks of age may play a role in assisting the diagnosis of ROP.

Severe Retinopathy of Prematurity Associated With Neurodevelopmental Disorder in Children.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate whether severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) could be an association factor for neurodevelopmental disorders in premature infants without other risk factors—such as congenital anomalies, birth injuries, and neurological diseases—that may cause developmental delay.MethodsWe used health claims data recorded between 2007 and 2018 in the Korean National Health Insurance Service (KNHIS) database. We recruited a total of 18,256 premature infant born between 2007 and 2008 without congenital anomaly or birth injury (with ROP 6,995, without ROP 11,261) and divided them into four groups as follows: Group A, 209 extremely premature infants [gestational age (GA) < 28] with mild ROP; Group B, 75 extremely premature infants (GA < 28) with severe ROP; Group C, 6,510 other premature infants (28 ≤ GA <37)with mild ROP; and Group D, 201 other premature infants (28 ≤ GA < 37) with severe ROP. Using regression analysis, we analyzed whether there was a correlation between ROP prevalence, severity, and developmental delay in premature infants without other risk factors.ResultsThe prevalence of developmental delay, according to GA and ROP severity, was higher in patients with severe ROP than in the other patients. The prevalence gradually decreased after birth. Among extremely premature infants with ROP, those with severe ROP had a 3.082-fold higher association with neurodevelopmental complications than those with mild ROP (p < 0.001). Compared with other premature infants with ROP, those with severe ROP had a 3.269-fold higher association with neurodevelopmental complications than those with mild ROP.ConclusionThe severity of ROP may be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in premature infants.

A Retrospective Analysis of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in a Tertiary Newborn Intensive Care Unit: Incidence and Risk Factors of ROP

AbstractBackground Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the most frequent problem which causes blindness in preterm babies. In our study we evaluate the frequency of retinopathy, the risk factors, and their effects on disease development in premature newborns admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).Methods A total of 139 premature infants with gestational ages less than 34 weeks followed in our NICU between January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2011. The infants were divided into two groups as group 1 (no ROP/mild ROP) and as group 2 (severe ROP).Results The demographics of 139 patients were as follows: 79 (56.83%) were female and 60 (43.17%) were male. Overall, 104 (74.8%) patients were found to have no or mild ROP and 35 (25.2%) had severe ROP. Among the patients in the severe ROP group, 25 of them had plus disease. With logistic regression analysis, lower gestational age (odds ratio [OR]: 4.1, confidence interval [CI]: 1.9–9.2), the central catheter usage (OR: 13.4, CI: 1.2–146.6), hypotension (OR: 7.5, CI: 1.1–49.6), perinatal asphyxia (OR: 261.3, CI: 8.8–7725.4), apnea (OR: 18.1, CI: 1.6–202.6), and high FiO2 (OR: 1.2 CI: 1.0–1.5) were found to be related to severe ROP.Conclusion Among the preterms with very low body weight included in our study, we found that the frequency of severe ROP requiring treatment was low. The most important factors related to severe ROP were found to be low gestational age and birth weight. Being aware of the risk factors related to severe ROP in addition to screening every preterm infant carrying these risk factors is extremely important for the early diagnosis and treatment to prevent blindness due to severe retinopathy.

Management of Type 2 Retinopathy of Prematurity or Less in Infants Aged 45 Weeks Postmenstrual Age or Older.

This study aimed to identify the degree of concordance between fluorescein angiograms (FA) and fundus photographs (FP) in assessing the severity and potential need for treatment in infants 45 weeks or older postmenstrual age (PMA) with type 2 or less retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). An observational retrospective case series performed at Associated Retinal Consultants, William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. All infants born between 2006 and 2016 with stage 1 to 3 ROP that did not meet type 1 ROP criteria (type 2 or less) who received ablative laser therapy during or after age 45 weeks PMA. Pretreatment FP and FA images were randomized and sent to nine expert retina specialist graders to assess severity and inter-grader variability. A total of 10 babies (19 eyes) were enrolled in this study, and 53 FAs and 27 FPs of these 19 eyes were selected to be interpreted by the nine graders. The number of eyes deemed to be abnormal and warranted for treatment was higher with FA, whereas more eyes were deemed "normal" with FP. Although still controversial, knowledge of these findings may encourage retina specialists to closely examine infants with mild ROP older than age 45 weeks PMA and consider ablative laser therapy under certain conditions (even if not meeting type 1 Early Treatment for ROP criteria). [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2021;52:636-641.].

Association of Docosahexaenoic Acid and Arachidonic Acid Serum Levels With Retinopathy of Prematurity in Preterm Infants

Supplementing preterm infants with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) has been inconsistent in reducing the severity and incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Furthermore, few studies have measured the long-term serum lipid levels after supplementation. To assess whether ROP severity is associated with serum levels of LC-PUFA, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA), during the first 28 postnatal days. This cohort study analyzed the Mega Donna Mega study, a randomized clinical trial that provided enteral fatty acid supplementation at 3 neonatal intensive care units in Sweden. Infants included in this cohort study were born at a gestational age of less than 28 weeks between December 20, 2016, and August 6, 2019. Severity of ROP was classified as no ROP, mild or moderate ROP (stage 1-2), or severe ROP (stage 3 and type 1). Serum phospholipid fatty acids were measured through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Ordinal logistic regression, with a description of unadjusted odds ratio (OR) as well as gestational age- and birth weight-adjusted ORs and 95% CIs, was used. Areas under the curve were used to calculate mean daily levels of fatty acids during postnatal days 1 to 28. Blood samples were obtained at the postnatal ages of 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. A total of 175 infants were included in analysis. Of these infants, 99 were boys (56.6%); the median (IQR) gestational age was 25 weeks 5 days (24 weeks 3 days to 26 weeks 6 days), and the median (IQR) birth weight was 785 (650-945) grams. A higher DHA proportion was seen in infants with no ROP compared with those with mild or moderate ROP or severe ROP (OR per 0.5-molar percentage increase, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.36-0.68]; gestational age- and birth weight-adjusted OR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.46-0.93]). The corresponding adjusted OR for AA levels per 1-molar percentage increase was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.66-1.05). The association between DHA levels and ROP severity appeared only in infants with sufficient AA levels, suggesting that a mean daily minimum level of 7.8 to 8.3 molar percentage of AA was necessary for a detectable association between DHA level and less severe ROP. This cohort study found that higher mean daily serum levels of DHA during the first 28 postnatal days were associated with less severe ROP even after adjustment for known risk factors, but only in infants with sufficiently high AA levels. Further studies are needed to identify LC-PUFA supplementation strategies that may prevent ROP and other morbidities.

Characteristics and associated factors of early refractive parameters in premature infants

Objective: To investigate the characteristics and associated factors of early refractive parameters in premature infants. Methods: Case-control study. Premature infants who underwent the first fundus screening in the ophthalmic clinic of Xiamen children's Hospital from May 2018 to February 2019 were collected. The screening time was 4 to 6 weeks after birth or corrected gestational age from 31 to 32 weeks. The premature infants who were diagnosed with mild retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in one eye or both eyes but did not receive any treatment were divided into ROP group and divided into zone Ⅱ subgroup and zone Ⅲ subgroup according to the region of ROP; the premature infants without ROP were divided into non-ROP group. The gestational age, birth weight, spherical equivalent, anterior chamber depth, vitreous depth, axial length, lens thickness and corneal refractive power were recorded and compared. Independent sample t-test, multiple linear regression analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were used. Results: A total of 180 premature infants, 101 males and 79 females, with gestational age of (30.82±3.10) weeks, corrected gestational age of (37.21±1.44) weeks and birth weight of (1 577.85±572.12) g were included in this study. Ninety premature infants were included in the ROP group (162 eyes, of which 85 right eyes were included in the analysis) and 90 in the non-ROP group (90 right eyes). There was no significant difference in the distribution of gestational age, birth weight and corrected gestational age between the ROP group and non-ROP group (all P>0.05), but there was significant difference in the spherical equivalent between the two groups [(1.90±1.39) D vs. (3.04±1.88) D, t=-4.653, P<0.01], and ROP group was relatively smaller. In the ROP group, the anterior chamber depth was (1.82±0.23) mm, the lens thickness was (4.54±0.18) mm, and the corneal refractive power was (43.99±0.99) D. In the non-ROP group, the anterior chamber depth was (1.91±0.94) mm, the lens thickness was (4.23±0.50) mm, and the corneal refractive power was (43.72±0.92) D. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (all P<0.01). In ROP group, the anterior chamber depth was shallower, the lens was thicker, and the corneal refractive power was higher. In ROP group, the corneal refractive power of 48 right eyes in zone Ⅱ subgroup and 37 right eyes in Zone Ⅲ subgroup were (43.92±0.78) D and (43.39±1.05) D respectively, and the spherical equivalent were (2.08±0.95) D and (2.52±1.12) D respectively. The corneal refractive power of zone Ⅱ subgroup was higher and the spherical equivalent was smaller, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that birth weight, gestational age and corneal refractive power were the influencing factors of spherical equivalent (P<0.01). The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that the gestational age (r=0.182), birth weight (r=0.223) and corneal refractive power (r=-0.125) of premature infants were closely related to the spherical equivalent (all P<0.05). Conclusions: In premature infants, the larger spherical equivalent is related to greater gestational age and heavier birth weight. The refractive parameters of mild ROP are characterized by shallow anterior chamber, thick lens, high corneal refractive power and small spherical equivalent. The spherical equivalent is closely related to the development of ROP. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 353-357).

Impact of Platelet Count in Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Objectives:The aim of the study was to investigate the risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), including platelet count.Materials and Methods:This retrospective study analyzed 137 infants in 3 subgroups: no ROP; mild ROP, and severe ROP requiring laser treatment (type 1 ROP). A retrospective review of records was performed and statistical analysis of possible risk factors for ROP including platelet count was evaluated by using logistic regression.Results:Birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), and low platelet count in the first week after birth were significant risk factors for developing ROP (p=0.038, 0.02, and 0.004, respectively). BW, GA, ventilation, and lower platelet count were associated with progression to type 1 ROP (p=0.004; 0.027, and 0.021, respectively).Conclusion:Lower platelet count in the first week after birth is a risk factor for ROP development in addition to the previously established factors of ventilation need, low BW, and low GA.

Red cell distribution width and its association with retinopathy of prematurity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is a relationship between red cell distribution width (RDW) values and the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants. This retrospective study was conducted on a total of 159 infants with gestational age (GA) < 35weeks including 77 infants diagnosed as ROP (patients' group) and 82 infants without ROP (control group) between September 2015 and January 2018. RDW values of the preterm infants were obtained from their medical records (routine postpartum cord blood sample and follow-up venous blood samples taken at first week, second week and first month). The possible relationship between RDW values and clinical features of ROP development was evaluated. The mean GA of all infants was 29.2 ± 2.4 (24-35) weeks, and the mean birth weight was 1268 ± 419 (550-2500)g. The RDW values measured in the first and the second weeks were significantly higher in infants with ROP compared with those wihout ROP (p < .001 for both). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of cord blood and first month RDW values (p = .719, p = .108, respectively). The first and second week's RDW values of infants with ROP requiring treatment (severe ROP) were significantly higher than those of infants with ROP not requiring treatment (mild ROP) (p = .005, p = .031, respectively), but no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of cord blood and first month values (p = .114 and p = .371, respectively). RDW is an easily accessible and inexpensive marker that may reflect the clinical risk factors for ROP. Follow-up measures of RDW have the potential to help clinicians for the prediction of ROP development in the first 2weeks postnatally.

Severity of retinopathy of prematurity was associated with a higher risk of cerebral dysfunction in young adults born extremely preterm.

This Swedish study evaluated whether the severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in extremely preterm infants was related to their overall outcome in young adulthood. We followed 39 individuals born between 1988 and 1993 at less than 28 gestational weeks, included in the Stockholm Neonatal Project. A total of 19 were treated for severe ROP, and 20 had no or mild ROP. They were assessed for general cognitive abilities and mental health at 18years of age and compared with 23 term-born controls. Visual acuity was examined at 21-25years. They were asked about their education and everyday life. The 19 individuals with severe treated ROP had lower visual acuity and higher risk for intellectual deficits, cerebral palsy and neuropsychiatric diagnoses than those with no or mild ROP and the term controls. Three were visually impaired, none were blind. They were less physically active than the other groups and had more problems finding their way around. However, nine were at university. Young adults treated for severe ROP had more problems resulting from cerebral dysfunction than those with no or mild ROP and term-born controls. Retinal and brain pathologies in the extremely preterm infant constitute different expressions of neurovascular disease.

Lower foetal haemoglobin levels at 31- and 34-weeks post menstrual age is associated with the development of retinopathy of prematurity : PacIFiHER Report No. 1 PacIFiHER Study Group (Preterm Infants and Fetal Haemoglobin in ROP).

Previous studies have suggested that lower mean foetal haemoglobin (HbF) levels is associated with an increased risk for developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Lower HbF levels may lead to high oxygen exposure to the developing retina thereby increasing the risk of acute ROP. In this study, we characterize the temporal relationship of HbF levels and the development of ROP. This is a single institution prospective observational cohort study. Preterm infants (born <31 weeks gestational age or <1500 g) with HbF measured at birth (cord blood), 31-, 34-, and 37-weeks post menstrual age (PMA); and at least one ROP exam, were enrolled. A total of 60 preterm infants (28 females, 47%) were enrolled. At 31-, 34-, 37-weeks PMA, infants with ROP (mild = Type 2 or less severe and severe = Type 1 ROP) had statistically lower percentages of HbF than infants with no ROP (28.2 ± 15 and 9.7 ± 2.9 vs 67.1 ± 29.6; p < 0.0001; 23.3 ± 14.7 and 32.5 vs 60.1 ± 25; p < 0.005; 31.9 ± 15.8 and 41.6 vs 60.2 ± 20.0; p < 0.0019). Infants with HbF levels in the lowest tercile at 31-weeks PMA were 7.6 times more likely to develop mild and severe ROP (95% CI 2.1-24.0, p value = 0.0006) and this risk increased to 12.3 times (95% CI: 2.6-59.0, p value = 0.0017) at 34-weeks PMA. Low HbF levels at 31- and 34-weeks PMA are associated with significantly increased risk of developing ROP. The decrease in HbF precedes the development of ROP and may be important in its pathogenesis.

Monitoring Disease Progression With a Quantitative Severity Scale for Retinopathy of Prematurity Using Deep Learning

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide, but clinical diagnosis is subjective and qualitative. To describe a quantitative ROP severity score derived using a deep learning algorithm designed to evaluate plus disease and to assess its utility for objectively monitoring ROP progression. This retrospective cohort study included images from 5255 clinical examinations of 871 premature infants who met the ROP screening criteria of the Imaging and Informatics in ROP (i-ROP) Consortium, which comprises 9 tertiary care centers in North America, from July 1, 2011, to December 31, 2016. Data analysis was performed from July 2017 to May 2018. A deep learning algorithm was used to assign a continuous ROP vascular severity score from 1 (most normal) to 9 (most severe) at each examination based on a single posterior photograph compared with a reference standard diagnosis (RSD) simplified into 4 categories: no ROP, mild ROP, type 2 ROP or pre-plus disease, or type 1 ROP. Disease course was assessed longitudinally across multiple examinations for all patients. Mean ROP vascular severity score progression over time compared with the RSD. A total of 5255 clinical examinations from 871 infants (mean [SD] gestational age, 27.0 [2.0] weeks; 493 [56.6%] male; mean [SD] birth weight, 949 [271] g) were analyzed. The median severity scores for each category were as follows: 1.1 (interquartile range [IQR], 1.0-1.5) (no ROP), 1.5 (IQR, 1.1-3.4) (mild ROP), 4.6 (IQR, 2.4-5.3) (type 2 and pre-plus), and 7.5 (IQR, 5.0-8.7) (treatment-requiring ROP) (P < .001). When the long-term differences in the median severity scores across time between the eyes progressing to treatment and those who did not eventually require treatment were compared, the median score was higher in the treatment group by 0.06 at 30 to 32 weeks, 0.75 at 32 to 34 weeks, 3.56 at 34 to 36 weeks, 3.71 at 36 to 38 weeks, and 3.24 at 38 to 40 weeks postmenstrual age (P < .001 for all comparisons). The findings suggest that the proposed ROP vascular severity score is associated with category of disease at a given point in time and clinical progression of ROP in premature infants. Automated image analysis may be used to quantify clinical disease progression and identify infants at high risk for eventually developing treatment-requiring ROP. This finding has implications for quality and delivery of ROP care and for future approaches to disease classification.