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Risk factors and laser therapy for retinopathy of prematurity in neonatal intensive care unit
Li Liu1, Tian Tian, Chong-Xun Zheng
1Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China. nellie918@yahoo.com.cn
Insights
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is common in premature infants with other diseases. Lower birth weight, gestational age, postnatal hypoxia, anemia, and maternal gravidity are key risk factors for ROP. Laser therapy shows good outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Ophthalmology
- Perinatology
Background:
- Increasing survival rates of preterm infants have led to a rise in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) incidence.
- ROP poses a significant threat to the visual health of premature neonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify risk factors for ROP in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of laser therapy in treating ROP.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 35 premature infants with co-existing conditions was studied.
- Data on gestational age, birth weight, hypoxia, anemia, and other factors were collected.
- Infants underwent fundus examinations, and ROP cases were treated with laser therapy, followed by statistical analysis.
Main Results:
- ROP was diagnosed in 77.1% of the infants, with 71% having associated plus diseases.
- Lower birth weight and gestational age were significantly correlated with higher ROP incidence (P<0.01).
- Postnatal hypoxia, anemia, and maternal gravidity were significant risk factors for ROP (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
- ROP incidence is high in vulnerable premature infants, linked to specific clinical factors.
- Laser therapy demonstrated favorable recovery rates for ROP, with 92.6% success at 3 months.
- Gestational age was a critical factor, especially in infants with plus diseases (P<0.05).
Background:
With the increasing survival rates of preterm infants, the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is also increasing. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for ROP in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and the effects of laser therapy.
Methods:
Thirty-five premature infants with various other diseases were studied. Data were collected including gender, gestational age, birth weight, maternal gravidity, Apgar score, antenatal and postnatal hypoxia, anemia, jaundice, infection, pregnancy complications, and head ultrasound manifestations. All patients were subjected to fundus examinations at a postmenstrual age of 34 weeks using an indirect ophthalmoscope. The infants were divided into ROP group and non-ROP group. Infants with ROP received laser treatment. The data of the infants were analyzed using univariate analysis and the logistic regression model.
Results:
Twenty-seven (77.1%) of the 35 infants had ROP and 21 of them also had plus diseases. The recovery rates were 74.1% and 92.6% at 2 weeks and 3 months after laser therapy, respectively. The birth weight and gestational age in the ROP group were significantly lower than those in the non-ROP group (P<0.01). The lower the gestational age and birth weight, the higher the incidence of ROP. There was a significant difference in the incidence of ROP with postnatal hypoxia (P=0.013), anemia (P=0.012) and gravidity two (P<0.05), analyzed with the Fisher's exact probability test (P<0.05). The gestational age was significantly lower in the plus disease group than in the non-plus disease group (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
The incidence of ROP is high in premature infants with various other diseases and is correlated with birth weight, gestational age, postnatal hypoxia, anemia and maternal gravidity. Laser therapy shows good outcomes.
