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Association of Cardiovascular Disease with Retinopathy of Prematurity

Faizah Bhatti1,2, Yinxi Yu3, Gui-Shuang Ying3

  • 1Neonatal Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health, Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

Ophthalmic Epidemiology
|February 9, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in premature infants may increase the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Specifically, increased pulmonary blood flow (PBF) is linked to ROP, and pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) to severe ROP.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Pediatric Cardiology

Background:

  • Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
  • Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are common in premature infants and may influence ROP development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between the presence and types of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants.
  • To identify specific CVDs that may pose a higher risk for ROP development.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary analysis of data from the multi-center Postnatal Growth and ROP Validation Study (GROP-2).
  • CVDs were categorized by pulmonary blood flow (PBF), systemic blood flow (SBF), pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), or dysrhythmia.
  • Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), controlling for birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), and supplemental oxygen use.

Main Results:

  • Among 3980 infants, 13.3% had CVD and 40.4% developed ROP.
  • The presence of CVD was not significantly associated with an increased risk of any ROP or severe ROP in multivariable analyses.
  • Trends suggested that CVD with increased PBF was associated with a higher risk of ROP (aOR=1.32), and PPHN with a higher risk of severe ROP (aOR=2.04).
  • These associations became significant when adjusting only for BW and GA.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiovascular disease with increased pulmonary blood flow may increase the risk of retinopathy of prematurity.
  • Pulmonary hypertension is likely associated with an increased risk of severe retinopathy of prematurity.
Abstract

Keywords:
Congenital Cardiac DiseasePulmonary HypertensionRetinopathy of Prematurity

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