Retinopathy of prematurity at Thammasat University Hospital

Abstract

Background: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is one of the major causes of retinal vascular changes and subsequent abnormal vision in children. ROP has 5 stages of severity ranging from abnormal blood vessel growth to retinal detachment. The severity of ROP depends on the gestational age and lesion location.

Objective: To study factors related to ROP in preterm infants

Methods: This descriptive study comprised 100 preterm infants with criteria of gestational age at birth of less than 37 weeks or birth weight less than 2,000 grams and born from 1 January to 31
December 2017 in Thammasat University Hospital. The neonatal data and eye examination results were recorded and analyzed.

Results: ROP occurred in 10 percent of 100 premature infants, and 3 percent of patients were treated. The data analysis found that the risk factors associated with ROP included low birth weight,
prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, respiratory distress, and intraventricular hemorrhage which conferred significantly higher risk of ROP, while transient tachypnea of the newborn
conferred significantly lower risk.

Conclusion: Our study provides support to previous study regarding the risk factors of ROP. Furthermore, this study shows that transient tachypnea of the newborn could act as a protective factor against ROP.