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[Retinopathy of prematurity in multiple births: risk analysis for plus disease]

J L García-Serrano1, M C Ramírez-García, R Piñar-Molina

  • 1Servicio de Oftalmología, Unidad de Gestión Clínica, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio de Granada, Granada, España. jopalace@hotmail.com

Archivos De La Sociedad Espanola De Oftalmologia
|April 23, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and poor postnatal weight gain are key risk factors for plus disease. Ensuring adequate weight gain in premature infants can help prevent this serious complication and avoid blindness.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal ophthalmology
  • Perinatal medicine
  • Public health

Context:

  • Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
  • Plus disease, characterized by vascular abnormalities in ROP, is associated with a higher risk of severe outcomes.
  • Multiple births present unique challenges in neonatal care, including ROP management.

Purpose:

  • To identify and analyze risk factors associated with the development of plus disease in premature infants.
  • To investigate the specific challenges and risk factors in multiple-birth infants (twins and triplets) with ROP.

Summary:

  • A prospective study of 54 multiple-birth infants with low birth weight and gestational age identified severe ROP and poor postnatal weight gain as primary predictors of plus disease.
  • Other associated factors included large avascular retinal areas, low gestational age, low birth weight, patent ductus arteriosus, and mechanical ventilation.
  • Infants with plus disease exhibited significantly lower daily weight gain (3.9 g/day) compared to those without (11.84 g/day) in the first six weeks of life.

Impact:

  • Advanced ROP stages and inadequate weight gain are the most significant factors linked to plus disease.
  • Promoting a daily weight gain of over 7 g/day in the first 4-6 weeks can substantially reduce the risk of plus disease in twins.
  • Optimizing postnatal weight gain emerges as a crucial, actionable strategy to prevent avoidable blindness caused by ROP.
Abstract

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