Occurrence Of Retinopathy Of Prematurity Research Articles

Platelet count and retinopathy of prematurity, a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between platelet count (PLT) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), with the goal of identifying a straightforward screening method for the early detection of ROP. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from January 2005 to 26 September 2023. Subsequently, a subgroup analysis was performed. This meta-analysis included ten studies involving 1762 neonates, with 747 cases of ROP identified. The pooled analysis indicated a significant decrease in mean platelet count among the ROP group compared to the non-ROP group (mean difference: -18.65, 95% confidence interval: -22.80 to -14.50, P < .00001). Subgroup analysis indicated that the heterogeneity in the results can be attributed to factors such as the location of the studies, gestational age (GA), and publication time. Decreased PLT counts may be associated with the occurrence of ROP. The PLT count should be standardized according to the detection location, detection time and GA.

Impact of Omega-3 Enriched Lipid Emulsions on Retinopathy of Prematurity in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

To assess the effects of ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA)-enriched lipid emulsions (SMOFlipid) vs. traditional soybean oil-based lipid emulsions (Intralipid) on the occurrence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in infants with very low birth weight (VLBW). In this retrospective cohort study, 301 VLBW infants who received either SMOFlipid or Intralipid for a minimum of 14 d were included. The main outcome measured was the frequency and severity of ROP, with secondary outcomes covering other complications associated with preterm birth. Of the infants studied, 180 were administered SMOFlipid, while 121 received Intralipid. The incidence of ROP was notably lower in the SMOFlipid group (32.8% vs. 45.5%; RR 0.59; 95% CI 0.36-0.94; P = 0.026). Additionally, the occurrence of severe ROP was reduced by 66.06% in infants given SMOFlipid (5.6% vs. 16.5%; RR 0.30; 95% CI 0.13-0.66; P = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression suggested that using SMOFlipid was linked to a reduced risk of both ROP (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.24-0.82; P = 0.010) and severe ROP (OR 0.09; 95% CI 0.03-0.30; P < 0.001). There were no considerable differences noted in other complications associated with preterm birth between the two groups. Compared to Intralipid, SMOFlipid treatment reduced both the risk and severity of ROP. Parenteral supplementation with fish oil-containing emulsions might offer a novel approach to lowering the incidence and severity of ROP in VLBW infants.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Southeastern Iran: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of preventable premature infant vision loss. Many studies have reported different risk factors depending on the region. In this study, we evaluated the incidence of ROP and associated risk factors in a referral eye hospital in southeastern Iran. This was a retrospective cohort study of preterm infants with birth weight (BW)≤2000 g or gestational age (GA)≤34 weeks and infants with GA between 34-37 weeks or GA<37 weeks and BW>2000 g referred by their pediatricians to our center from March 2022 until March 2023. Totally, 920 infants met the inclusion criteria for the study. The incidence of ROP and ROP requiring treatment was 20.2% and 3.58% respectively. Results of logistic regression analysis showed higher GA and BW as protective factors against ROP occurrence. History of blood transfusion and phototherapy increased ROP development. Lower GA, lower BW, history of blood transfusion, and phototherapy were associated with ROP development. Phototherapy decreased the need for treatment among ROP patients.

Profile of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Infants at a District Hospital in Goa

Abstract Context: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the leading causes of preventable childhood blindness. Aims: To study the profile and risk factors of ROP among infants at a district hospital in Goa. Settings and Design: Retrospective observational study. Materials and Methods: The study included babies screened for ROP at the district hospital from July 2019 to October 2022. The screening was conducted by a single trained ophthalmologist using binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy, and the examination findings along with risk factors were recorded in ROP documentation charts. Statistical Analysis Used: Continuous variables were analyzed using the student t test. Categorical variables were analyzed using the Chi-square test. A P &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 232 babies were included in the study and were screened for ROP. ROP was detected in 24 babies (10.35%), and 208 babies did not develop ROP. There was a significant relationship between the occurrence of ROP and low gestational age (P &lt; 0.001), lower birth weight (P &lt; 0.001), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (P &lt; 0.001), intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) (P = 0.003), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: In this study, 10.35% of the babies screened developed ROP. Low gestational age, lower birth weight, RDS, IVH and PDA were significant risk factors for the occurrence of ROP.

Association of ACE and AGTR1 variants with retinopathy of prematurity: a case-control study and meta-analysis.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a major cause of childhood blindness worldwide, linked to gene variants in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1). This study aims to evaluate the association between ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) and AGTR1 rs5186A > C variants with the occurrence and progression of ROP in a Polish cohort. A total of 377 premature infants were enrolled in the study. The ACE variant was evaluated using PCR, and AGTR1 was assessed using TaqMan probes. Clinical characteristics, including risk factors and comorbidities, were documented. A meta-analysis of the effects of the studied variants on ROP was also conducted. The AGTR1 rs5186C allele was significantly associated with both the progression of ROP and treatment outcomes. Homozygotes exhibited a 2.47-fold increased risk of developing proliferative ROP and a 4.82-fold increased risk of treatment failure. The impact of this allele increased at low birth weight. A meta-analysis, including 191 cases and 1661 controls, indicated an overall risk of 1.7 (95%CI 1.02-2.84) for the recessive effect of the rs5186C allele. The ACE variant did not show a significant association with ROP in our population; however, a meta-analysis of 996 cases and 2787 controls suggested a recessive effect of the insertion allele (an odds ratio of 1.21 (95%CI 1.00-1.60)). These results indicate that gain-of-function AGTR1 variants may play a crucial role in the development of ROP, potentially by promoting angiogenesis and pro-inflammatory effects. Screening for these variants could facilitate the development of personalized risk assessment and treatment strategies for ROP.

Oral DHA supplementation and retinopathy of prematurity: the Joinville DHA Clinical Trial.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of blindness in premature infants. The condition is associated with DHA deficiency. This study aimed to investigate the effect of DHA supplementation on the occurrence of ROP in infants receiving oral oil drops. It is part of the Joinville DHA study, a non-parallel-group cohort study conducted from March 2020 to January 2023 at a public maternity hospital in Brazil. Infants born before 33 weeks of gestational age or with a birth weight ≤1500 g were recruited. Among 155 infants, 81 did not receive and 74 received DHA supplementation until complete vascularisation of the peripheral retina. There was a higher incidence of infants with ROP in the unsupplemented group (58·6%) compared with the DHA group (41·4%), but this difference was NS (P=0·22). Unadjusted logistic regression analysis showed that patent ductus arteriosus and neonatal corticosteroids were significantly (P<0·05) associated with ROP in both groups. In the DHA group, surfactant use was also associated with ROP (P=0·003). After adjusting for important covariates, patent ductus arteriosus and neonatal corticosteroids continued to be significant for infants in the unsupplemented group (OR=3·99; P=0·022 and OR=5·64; P=0·019, respectively). In the DHA group, only surfactant use continued to be associated with ROP (OR=4·84; P=0·015). In summary, DHA supplementation was not associated with ROP. Further studies are necessary to better understand the relationship between DHA supplementation, ROP and associated comorbidities.

Macular Curvature in Adults Born Preterm With and Without ROP: Results from the Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study.

This study investigated the effects of prematurity and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) as well as the associations of the ocular geometry with macular curvature in adults. The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study is a retrospective cohort study of preterm and full-term participants aged 18 to 52years with a prospective ophthalmologic examination. The main outcome measure was the macular curvature in the central foveal optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan and its associations with gestational age (GA), birth weight and birth weight percentile, ROP occurrence, ROP treatment, and other perinatal factors were evaluated in univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses. Furthermore, a second model assessed the association of ocular geometry with macular curvature. In the present study, 550 eyes of 284 adults born preterm and 277 eyes of 139 adults born full-term were examined (aged = 28.7 ± 8.7years, 240 female subjects). In multivariable analyses for perinatal parameters, ROP treatment (B = -52.44, P = 0.023) and maternal smoking during pregnancy (B = 26.41, P = 0.019) showed an association with macular curvature. Regarding ocular geometric parameters, posterior segment length (B = 9.07, P < 0.001) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (B = -0.26, P < 0.001) were associated with macular curvature, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and foveal retinal thickness were not associated. Adults treated for ROP had relatively more negative curvature values compared to the full-term group, indicating a macular protrusion toward the vitreous cave. A thicker subfoveal choroidal thickness was associated with a flatter macular curvature, whereas a longer posterior segment length was associated with a steeper macular curvature indicating the characteristics of the myopic elongation of the eye.

The association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants.

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants one month after birth. Preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks) admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from 2017 to 2022 were divided into ROP and non-ROP groups based on ROP occurrence any stage. Serum 25(OH)D levels and clinical data were compared between the two groups at 1 month after birth, and the relationship between vitamin D levels and ROP was analyzed. Among the 217 premature infants included, 55 (25.35%) were in the ROP group, and 162 (74.65%) were in the non-ROP group. The ROP group had lower gestational age and birth weight, longer invasive ventilation (IV), non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and oxygen therapy times compared to the non-ROP group. Apgar scores, cesarean delivery, and antenatal steroids ratios were lower in the ROP group, while sepsis and pulmonary surfactant utilization ratios were higher (all p < 0.05). Significant differences in serum 25-(OH)D levels were observed among children in the non-ROP group (14.20 ± 5.07 ng/ml), ROP treated group (7.891 ± 1.878 ng/ml), and untreated group (12.168 ± 4.354 ng/ml) (p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis identified antenatal steroids as protective factors and lower birth weight, serum 25-(OH)D levels, long-term invasive mechanical ventilation, and sepsis as independent risk factors for ROP in premature infants. Vitamin D, lower birth weight, long-term invasive mechanical ventilation, and sepsis were associated with incidence of ROP in preterm infants. Vitamin D was associated with the severity of ROP, emphasizing the importance of prudent vitamin D supplementation and regular monitoring of serum 25-(OH)D levels.

Retinopatia da prematuridade e a sua relação com oxigenoterapia:uma revisão integrativa

INTRODUCTION: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disease characterized by abnormal angiogenesis of the immature retina. One of the main causes is inadequate and poorly administered oxygen administration in delivery rooms and/or neonatal intensive care units. OBJECTIVES: To gather scientific evidence regarding ROP and the use of oxygen therapy, as well as to understand its pathophysiology and possible prevention factors. METHODS: This is an integrative review. The PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, SciELO and Cochrane databases were used, and terms related to ROP were searched in English, French or Portuguese. RESULTS: Retinopathy of prematurity is a severe vasoproliferative disease that occurs in premature newborns, which, if not treated in a timely manner, can lead to retinal detachment and visual impairment. Pathophysiologically, complete retinal vascular development, which occurs between the 40-44th week of postmenstrual age, is interrupted due to prematurity. Currently, the main cause of ROP is the misuse of oxygen therapy in newborns, however, there are other factors such as congenital heart disease and anencephaly. CONCLUSION: Advances in neonatal care have allowed an increase in the survival rate in preterm infants and the incidence of ROP has accompanied this increase. Therefore, since the main cause is related to the inadequate use of oxygen therapy, including hyperoxia and fluctuations in oxygen saturation levels, maintaining control of this therapeutic technique is a great artifice against the occurrence of ROP. However, caution is required when decreasing oxygen saturation levels, as this reduction may increase mortality in neonates.

Comprehensive Analysis of the Role of Gene Variants in Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Tissue Inhibitors in Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Study in the Polish Population.

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between variants of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1 rs179975, MMP-9 rs17576 and rs17577), their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1 rs4898, TIMP-2 rs2277698 and rs55743137) and the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in infants from the Polish population. A cohort of 100 premature infants (47% female) was enrolled, including 50 ROP cases and 50 no-ROP controls. Patients with ROP were divided into those with spontaneous remission and those requiring treatment. A positive association between MMP-1 rs179975 1G deletion allele and ROP was observed in the log-additive model (OR = 5.01; p = 0.048). Furthermore, female neonates were observed to have a negative association between the TIMP-1 rs4898C allele and the occurrence of ROP and ROP requiring treatment (codominant models with respective p-values < 0.05 and 0.043). Two and three loci interactions between MMP-1 rs1799750 and TIMP1rs4989 (p = 0.015), as well as MMP-1 rs1799750, MMP-9 rs17576 and TIMP-1 rs4989 (p = 0.0003) variants influencing the ROP risk were also observed. In conclusion, these findings suggest a potential role of MMPs and TIMPs genetic variations in the development of ROP in the Polish population. Further studies using a larger group of premature infants will be required for validation.

Study protocol of OmegaROP-2 prospective study: expression of placental fatty acid receptors in preterm newborns with retinopathy of prematurity

BackgroundIncomplete vascularization of the retina in preterm infants carries a risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Progress in neonatal resuscitation in developing countries has led to the survival of an increasing number of premature infants, resulting in an increased rate of ROP and consequently in visual disability. Strategies to reduce ROP involve optimizing oxygen saturation, nutrition, and normalizing factors such as insulin-like growth factor 1 and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). Our previous study, OmegaROP, showed that there is an accumulation or retention of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in mothers of infants developing ROP, suggesting abnormalities in the LC-PUFA placental transfer via fatty acid transporting proteins. The present study aims to better understand the LC-PUFA transport dysfunction in the fetoplacental unit during pregnancy and to find a novel target for the prevention of ROP development.MethodsThe study protocol is designed to evaluate the correlation between the expression level of placental fatty acid receptors and ROP occurrence. This ongoing study will include 100 mother-infant dyads: mother-infant dyads born before 29 weeks of gestational age (GA) and mother-infant dyads with full-term pregnancies. Recruitment is planned over a period of 46 months. Maternal and cord blood samples as well as placental tissue samples will be taken following delivery. ROP screening will be performed using wide-field camera imaging according to the International Classification of ROP consensus statement.DiscussionThe results of this study will have a tangible impact on public health. Indeed, if we show a correlation between the expression level of placental omega-3 receptors and the occurrence of ROP, it would be an essential step in discovering novel pathophysiological mechanisms involved in this retinopathy.Trial registrationNCT04819893.

Most Up-to-Date Analysis of Epidemiological Data on the Screening Guidelines and Incidence of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Europe-A Literature Review.

Global predictions indicate that the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is increasing, but the lack of current epidemiological data on the occurrence of ROP in Europe prompted the authors to update these data. European studies related to the presence of ROP were analyzed, and the reason for the differences in the percentage of ROP and different screening criteria were checked. The study presents results from individual and multiple centers. Current ROP incidence data varies from a low of 9.3% in Switzerland to the highest values of 64.1% in Portugal and 39.5% in Norway. The national screening criteria are used in the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, and Sweden. Uniform criteria-Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health guidelines are used in England and Greece. American Academy of Pediatrics screening guidelines are used in France and Italy. The epidemiology of ROP in European countries varies significantly. The increase in the diagnosis and treatment rate of ROP in recent years correlates with the narrowing of diagnostic criteria in newly issued guidelines (which include the WINROP and G-ROP algorithms), a higher number of less developed preterm infants, and a lower percentage of live births.

INCIDENCE AND RISK FACTORS FOR RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY IN A LEVEL 3 NICU OF A TEACHING INSTITUTE IN MAHARASHTRA.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a serious complication seen in premature babies post treatment which can lead to blindness unless and until it is recognized and treated early. The objective was Objective: to estimate the incidence of ROP in preterm infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and to identify the risk factors which predispose to ROP. : ROP prospective screening survey was performed enrolling all premature Materials and Methods babies admitted to the NICU for a period of six months, with a gestational age of 34 weeks or less at birth and a birth weight of 2000gm or less. Those with a BW&gt;2000g or GA&gt;34 weeks with an unstable clinical course were included in the study as per recent IAP guidelines. The incidence of ROP in our study was 18.6%. Among babies with Results: gestational age less than 34 weeks had ROP incidence 31.1 %. No ROP was found in infants those who had weight of ≥ 2000g. Maximum babies had stage 2 ROP; only 1 baby had stage 1 ROP and all regressed spontaneously. Two babies had stage 3 ROP and required laser ablative therapy. Pearson Chi-Square test showed that there was a significant relationship between the occurrence of ROP and gestational age (P = 0.015) and low birth weight (P = 042) and number of days the baby was exposed to oxygen (p=0.0324). The incidence of ROP in our study was 18.6%. Low gestational Conclusion: age, low birth weight, oxygen therapy, were significant risk factors for ROP. Screening for early identification of retinal damage done soon after birth is important to prevent this blindness.

10years of screening for retinopathy of prematurity (2009-2019) : Results analysis of two German level-1 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) with university on-site screening and atelemedical approach in the non-university NICU

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the most common causes of childhood blindness in Germany and worldwide and adequate screening is essential. The telemedical approach with objective documentation of retinal findings opens up the possibility of reliably diagnosing all ROP stages independent of the examiner, if a team of ophthalmologists specialized in ROP evaluates the images. A 10-year comparison of ROP screening at two level‑1 neonatal intensive care units (NICU): university and on-site vs. non-university and telemedical. Retrospective analysis of screened premature infants by gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), sex, multiple births, time of ROP occurrence, treatment needs and time as well as examination frequency. From 2009 to2019, we screened 1191 infants of whom 29had been screened before by an external clinic. The internal 1162 infants were screened on-site with 3713 retinal examinations. We diagnosed34% with ROP and treated 5.4% (3.7% in Giessen, 7.2% in Siegen). Mean GA was 28.9weeks (± 2.5 weeks); mean BW 1155 g (± 417.5 g). The number of ROP diagnoses increased by 227.3% in Giessen and by 111.1% in Siegen due to the increasing number of premature births in neonatal care. Comparative analysis confirmed nationally and internationally increasing ROP screening and children with acute ROP. Telemedical screening was equivalent to on-site screening and safe. Both screening methods identified infants requiring treatment on time. No child with GA > 29weeks required treatment, analogous to Swedish ROP registry results; however, in the German ROP registry some premature babies with GA ≥ 30weeks required treatment.

A lower birth weight percentile is associated with central corneal thickness thinning: Results from the Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES).

Prematurity, prenatal growth restriction, and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are associated with altered ocular geometry, such as a steeper corneal shape in childhood, but it is unclear whether perinatal history affects corneal thickness development, so this study investigated whether corneal thickness in adulthood is affected by perinatal history. The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES) is a retrospective cohort study with a prospective ophthalmologic examination in Germany. The corneal thickness was measured by Scheimpflug imaging (Pentacam HR, Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany), and the relationship between perinatal parameters respective birth weight percentile and corneal thickness at different locations was assessed using uni- and multivariable linear regression models. Covariates included age, sex, mean corneal radius, white-to-white distance, gestational age, birth weight percentile, ROP occurrence, and treatment. The main outcome measures were corneal thickness at the apex, the pupil center, and the corneal periphery. The corneal thickness was measured in 390 participants (754 eyes, mean age 29.7+/-8.7 years, 224 females). In multivariable analyses, a lower birth weight percentile was associated with a lower corneal thickness at the apex (B=0.20, p=0.003) and the pupil (B=0.19, p=0.007). These effects diminished towards the corneal periphery and were not observed beyond the 4-mm diameter circle around the thinnest corneal position. Neither gestational age, ROP occurrence, or ROP treatment affected the corneal thickness. A lower birth weight percentile in subjects born preterm as a proxy for restricted fetal growth is associated with corneal thickness thinning in adults aged 18 to 52 years, indicating that corneal thickness development, particularly in the corneal center, may originate in the fetal stage.

Ophthalmic care of adults born preterm and full-term-results from the Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES) : Premature birth and ophthalmological care

Prematurity and the presence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) increase the risk for the occurrence of amblyogenic risk factors in childhood and adolescence. The aim of the present study was to evaluate ocular morbidities and the ophthalmological care of former preterm and full-term persons in adulthood. The Gutenberg prematurity eye study (GPES) is aretrospective cohort study with aprospective ophthalmological examination of individuals formerly born preterm and full term between 1969 and 2002 (now aged 18-52years). All participants underwent adetailed ophthalmological examination and were asked about the frequency of ophthalmological care. Participants were grouped into those with normal gestational age (GA) ≥ 37 weeks (control group), preterm individuals without ROP and GA 33-36 weeks (group2), GA 29-32 weeks (group3), GA ≤ 28weeks (group4), and those with ROP without treatment (group5) and with ROP with treatment (group6). All participants were asked if they had an ophthalmological examination within the last 12months. In total, data from 140 term and 310 preterm adults were included in the present study. Strabismus was present in 2.1 % (3/140), 6.6 % (9/137), 17.4 % (16/92), 11.1 % (2/18), 27.1 % (13/48) and 60 % (9/15) in groups1-6, respectively. The proportion of subjects with an ophthalmological examination within the last 12months was highest in the groups of extremely preterm persons with and without ROP compared with the control group. Overall, 33.3 % (1/3) of the term and 57.1 % (28/49) of the preterm subjects with strabismus and 0 % (0/3) of the term and 46.9 % (15/32) of the preterm individuals with amblyopia had an ophthalmological examination within the past 12months. Extremely preterm adults with and without postnatal ROP showed the highest rate of eye diseases as well as the highest rate of ophthalmological check-ups within the last 12months. This suggests that extremely preterm adults particularly with the occurrence of postnatal ROP perceive more frequent ophthalmological check-ups throughout their lives.

Tailoring Screening Guidelines for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Egypt: An Exploratory Multicentric Study.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is increasing in incidence in developing nations, including Egypt. Secondary prevention requires timely detection through the development of regional screening guidelines, which should be preceded by large-scale studies to characterize the population at risk. A prospective, multicentric exploratory study that included five large tertiary institutions in an urban Egyptian setting. All infants born with gestational age (GA) < 37 weeks and/or birth weight (BW) ≤ 2000 grams were screened. More mature and heavier infants with unstable clinical course were also included. The primary outcome measure was the rate of ROP and high-risk disease occurrence in relation to underlying risk factors. Of the 768 eyes (384 screened infants), 347 eyes (45.2%) had stage 1 or higher disease, and 43 eyes (5.6%) had high-risk disease. Eyes with stage 1 or higher ROP and treatment-requiring ROP had a mean (± SD) GA of 33.4 (± 2.6) weeks and 32.8 (± 3.2) weeks, and BW of 1842.3 (± 570.1) grams and 1747.6 ± (676.2) grams, respectively. Treatment-requiring eyes belonged to infants that had significantly lower GA and significantly higher prevalence of co-morbidities than non-treatment-requiring eyes. The incidence of ROP and high-risk disease in an urban Egyptian setting are similar to those in comparable settings elsewhere and locally. This exploratory study supports tailoring local screening criteria for ROP, and may aid the future development of national guidelines.

The role of preterm birth, retinopathy of prematurity and perinatal factors on corneal aberrations in adulthood: Results from the Gutenberg prematurity eye study.

Prematurity and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are associated with altered corneal shape and reduced visual acuity in childhood, but their long-term effects on corneal shape in later life are still unclear. This study evaluated whether prematurity and related perinatal factors are associated with corneal aberrations in adulthood. The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES) is a cohort study using Scheimpflug imaging of the cornea. Associations were assessed between corneal Zernike aberrations and gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), BW percentile, ROP occurrence, ROP treatment and other perinatal factors using univariate and multivariable linear regression analyses. This study involved 444 eyes of 256 individuals born preterm (aged 28.1±8.4 years, 146 females) and 231 eyes of 132 individuals born full-term (aged 29.8±8.9 years, 77 females). Multivariable analyses revealed an association between corneal higher-order aberrations and lower birth weight percentile (B=-0.001, p< 0.001) as well as ROP treatment (B=0.120, p= 0.03). Corneal lower-order aberrations were also associated with lower birth weight percentile (B=-0.004; p= 0.001) and ROP treatment (B=0.838, p= 0.01) but not with ROP occurrence. Increased corneal aberrations were correlated with lower visual acuity and the spherical equivalent refractive error. Perinatal factors, particularly low birth weight percentile and ROP treatment lead to a more irregular corneal shape in adulthood, thereby reducing optical image quality and potentially contributing to reduced visual acuity and altered refractive error.

Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Adults Born Extremely, Very, and Moderately Preterm With and Without Retinopathy of Prematurity: Results From the Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES)

This study investigated whether prematurity and associated factors or prenatal growth restriction have long-term effects on the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) in adulthood. Retrospective cohort study. The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES) is a retrospective cohort study with a prospective ophthalmologic examination in Germany. Selected individuals born term and preterm (age 18-52 years) were examined with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in adulthood, and perinatal medical charts were reviewed. The pRNFL thickness was measured using SD-OCT. Univariate and multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate associations between pRNFL and gestational age (GA; categorical), birth weight percentile (categorical), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) occurrence, and treatment and other perinatal parameters with adjustment for age, sex, and spherical equivalent. In total, 766 eyes of 406 preterm and full-term individuals were included (mean age 28.4 ± 8.6 years, 228 females). After adjustment for age, sex, and spherical equivalent, global pRNFL thinning was associated with moderate (GA=33-36 wk, β=-4.68, P < .001), very (GA=29-32 wk, β=-5.72, P < .001), and extreme (GA ≤ 28 wk, β=-8.69, P < .001) prematurity but not with low birth weight percentile (<25th percentile, P=.9) and ROP occurrence (P=.9) in multivariable analysis. ROP treatment was associated with increased pRNFL in the temporal sector (P=.002). Maternal smoking during pregnancy showed an association with pRNFL thinning (P=.07). Our data indicate that the more preterm individuals are born the more pRNFL thinning occurs, whereas prenatal growth restriction and postnatal occurrence of ROP show less effects on pRNFL thickness. Furthermore, individuals with severe ROP with treatment but not lower ROP stages without treatment showed an increased temporal pRNFL thickness.

Type 1 retinopathy of prematurity in near full-term heavier birth weight infants

Prematurity and low birth weight (BW) are the most common factors associated with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). However, several case reports have shown the occurrence of ROP in full-term heavier BW babies with or without the presence of other risk factors.