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A scoping review of adverse visual outcomes among preterm infants without, versus those with, retinopathy of
Jacqueline R Porteny1, Paige Scudder1, Brian A Darlow2
1Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA.
Insights
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) increases adverse visual outcomes (AVOs) in preterm infants. However, preterm infants without ROP also experience AVOs, necessitating further research into contributing factors.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Adverse visual outcomes (AVOs) are prevalent in preterm infants.
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a known risk factor for AVOs.
- Limited data exists on AVOs in preterm infants without ROP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize available literature on AVOs in preterm infants.
- To differentiate AVOs in preterm infants with and without ROP.
- To identify specific visual impairments associated with ROP and those occurring independently.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of MEDLINE (PubMed) and Scopus (Elsevier) databases (2007-2023).
- Keywords included ROP and adverse visual outcomes.
- Rayyan software used for title/abstract and full-text screening.
Main Results:
- ROP is linked to higher risks of low vision, blindness, amblyopia, and strabismus.
- Astigmatism and color vision abnormalities showed weaker associations with ROP.
- Preterm infants without ROP also experience AVOs, but at lower frequencies.
Conclusions:
- ROP is a significant risk factor for certain AVOs in preterm infants.
- Not all AVOs in this population are attributable to ROP.
- Further investigation is needed to understand the causes of AVOs in preterm infants without ROP.
Abstract:
Adverse visual outcomes (AVOs) are common among preterm infants and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a well-known risk factor; however, there is limited information available regarding AVOs in preterm infants without ROP. A librarian (PS) conducted searches for studies in MEDLINE (PubMed), and Scopus (Elsevier), from January 1, 2007, to July 13, 2023. The search was designed to capture articles containing the concepts of ROP and adverse visual outcomes using relevant subject headings and text words adapted for the syntax of each database. Following deduplication, Rayyan was utilized for title abstract and full text screening to identify studies reporting specific AVOs separately for preterm infants with and without ROP. The available literature suggests that ROP is associated with an increased risk for specific AVOs, including low vision and blindness, amblyopia, and strabismus. Astigmatism and color vision abnormalities were not strongly linked to ROP. Preterm infants without ROP still experience AVOs, albeit at lower percentages. While ROP is a risk factor for some AVOs, not all AVOs among preterm infants are associated with ROP. Further research is warranted to better understand the factors contributing to AVOs in preterm infants without ROP.
