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Am J Perinatol 2005; 22(2): 115-120
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-837276
Copyright © 2005 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Premature Infants Weighing Less Than 1600 g

Po-Mai Liu1 , 4 , Po-Chiung Fang2 , Chung-Bin Huang1 , His-Kung Kou2 , Mei-Yung Chung1 , Yi-Hsin Yang3 , Ching-Hung Chung5
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • 2Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • 3Graduate Institute of Oral Health Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • 4Department of Pediatrics, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • 5Dental Department, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Publication Date:
10 February 2005 (online)

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ABSTRACT

There are many risk factors contributing to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Some are still controversial, including the use of glucocorticoid and intraventricular hemorrhage. Hence, a retrospective study was performed to evaluate the association between the suspected risk factors and ROP in a medical center in southern Taiwan. One hundred fifty-nine infants with birth body weight < 1600 g admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit before the 29th day of life were enrolled into this study. Clinical data were analyzed by means of logistic regression. The prevalence of ROP in all infants (birthweight < 1600 g) is 36.48% (58 of 159) and 59.46% (22 of 37) in extremely low birthweight infants (birthweight ≤ 1000 g). One infant with gestational age 32 weeks and birthweight 1420 g developed stage III ROP. Logistic regression revealed six factors to be significant variables. Birthweight ≤ 1000 g, intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, and use of glucocorticoid or dopamine were risk factors associated with higher incidence of ROP. Supplementation of vitamin E was shown to relate to lower incidence of ROP. This study confirms several risk factors recognized in previous statistical analyses. Sepsis is the most significant factor contributing to ROP. Vitamin E was proven to be effective in prophylaxis of development of ROP. The possibility of development of ROP could not be excluded in infants with gestational age > 32 weeks.

KEYWORDS

Retinopathy of prematurity - extremely low birthweight - sepsis

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Mei-Yung ChungM.D. 

Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital

123, Ta Pei Road, Niao Sung Hsiang, Kaohsiung Hsien 833

Taiwan, Republic of China