Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 23, 2026
Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Expanded criteria for retinopathy of prematurity screening in moderately preterm infants: Single-center pilot study
Sook Kyung Yum1, Cheong-Jun Moon1, Young-Ah Youn1
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can affect moderately preterm infants outside typical screening ranges. Identifying infants needing ROP screening requires evaluating comorbidities like respiratory distress and sepsis, and interventions such as inotropes and blood transfusions.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy
- Ophthalmology
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Current retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening guidelines in developed nations focus on lower gestational age and birthweight parameters.
- However, ROP continues to affect older, larger preterm infants globally, necessitating broader screening criteria.
- This study addresses the need to identify infants who fall outside common screening ranges but are still at risk for ROP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define specific criteria for identifying moderately preterm infants at risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) who may be outliers to standard screening protocols.
- To improve the selection of candidates for ROP screening, ensuring that potential ROP developers are not missed.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for 147 moderately preterm infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit.
- Statistical analyses included univariate and logistic regression to identify risk factors for ROP development.
Main Results:
- Forty-two infants developed ROP.
- Infants who developed ROP had significantly lower gestational ages (31.4 ± 1.1 weeks) and birthweights (1607.7 ± 339.4 g) compared to those who did not.
- Significant comorbidities included respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis. Need for inotropes >72 hours and more than three packed red blood cell transfusions were independent predictors of ROP.
Conclusions:
- In moderately preterm infants, a comprehensive evaluation of clinical status is crucial for effective ROP screening.
- Identifying specific comorbidities and interventions can help select infants at risk for ROP, even if they fall outside typical screening parameters.
- This approach aims to prevent missed diagnoses and ensure timely ROP management.
Background:
While developed countries seek to lower the gestational age and birthweight parameters in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening, older, larger infants still develop ROP in other parts of the world. The aim of this study was therefore to define criteria to identify potential ROP developers who are outliers of the common screening range.
Methods:
A retrospective medical record review was performed in 147 inborn moderately preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit during the study period. Univariate and logistic regression analysis was carried out.
Results:
Forty-two infants developed ROP. Gestational age (31.4 ± 1.1 vs 32.4 ± 1.0 weeks, P = 0.000) and birthweight (1607.7 ± 339.4 vs 1846.4 ± 317.2 g, P = 0.000) were lower in those who developed ROP. Respiratory distress syndrome (P = 0.026) and documented sepsis (P = 0.003) were significant comorbidities on univariate analysis. Inotrope need >72 h starting in the first week of life (P = 0.004; OR, 5.181) and more than three transfusions of packed red blood cells (P = 0.028; OR, 3.891) were also significant, both on univariate and multivariate analysis.
Conclusions:
In moderately preterm infants, status should be evaluated in order to effectively select candidates for ROP screening without missing potential ROP developers.
