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Retinopathy of prematurity in infants with birth weights greater than 1250 grams
Amy K Hutchinson1, James W O'Neil, Elizabeth N Morgan
1N. Edgar Miles Center for Pediatric Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
Insights
Severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can occur in infants weighing over 1250g. Current screening guidelines may miss these cases, potentially delaying treatment for severe ROP.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
- Current screening protocols primarily focus on lower birth weight and gestational age thresholds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence of severe ROP in premature infants with birth weights exceeding 1250 grams.
- To evaluate the efficacy of existing ROP screening guidelines in identifying severe cases within this population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for 1118 premature infants with birth weights > 1250g.
- Analysis of ROP severity, gestational age, and birth weight.
- Retrospective application of current screening guidelines to assess detection rates.
Main Results:
- Stage 3 ROP was identified in infants up to 32 weeks gestational age and 1874g birth weight.
- 26 infants required laser treatment for threshold ROP.
- Seven infants with severe ROP would not have met referral criteria under current guidelines.
Conclusions:
- Existing ROP screening guidelines may be insufficient for identifying severe ROP in larger, more mature infants.
- These findings suggest a need to re-evaluate current screening criteria to ensure timely detection and treatment of ROP in at-risk infants.
Purpose:
To determine whether severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) occurs in infants whose birth weights exceed 1250 g.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1118 premature infants with birth weights > 1250 g, who were referred for screening examinations for ROP, to determine the severity of ROP observed. We then cross-tabulated these data with each infant's estimated gestational age and birth weight. Finally, we applied currently recommended screening guidelines retrospectively to determine whether they would have identified infants who had developed severe disease and who were subsequently treated.
Results:
Stage 3 ROP was detected in infants with estimated gestational ages up to and including 32 weeks and birth weights up to and including 1874 g. A total of 26 of the participants received laser treatment for threshold ROP. Seven of these infants would not have been referred for screening according to current guidelines.
Conclusions:
Current screenings guidelines may fail to detect severe ROP in larger, more mature infants.
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