Retinopathy of prematurity: risk factors for its development in two neonatal intensive care units in Paraná-Brazil

Evaluate the patients in two neonatal intensive care units in Paraná/Brazil and identify the risk factors for the development of retinopathy of prematurity.

We performed a prospective cohort study on premature infants with gestational age ≤32 wk and/or with birth weight ≤1500 g who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Hospital do Trabalhador and Hospital Infantil Waldemar Monastier. These hospitals admit patients referred from other maternity hospitals in the state of Paraná. The study duration was 12 mon.

The incidence of retinopathy of prematurity was higher in the Hospital Infantil Waldemar Monastier than in the Hospital do Trabalhador for premature infants who needed to be transported from their birthplace to the intensive care unit (52.2% vs. 29.6%). The following risk factors were associated with the development of the disease: longer hospitalization, low gestational age at birth, longer oxygen use, vasoactive drugs use, no antenatal corticosteroids use, intracranial hemorrhage, and any glycemic disorder. Low birth weight was an independent risk factor for the development of retinopathy of prematurity.

Early neonatal care and transportation of premature infants may influence the occurrence and prognosis of retinopathy of prematurity.