Abstract
One hundred and thirteen consecutive infants with a very low birthweight of less than 1500 g were followed prospectively for 6 months to determine the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and associated risk factors. Of this group, 36 (31.9%) infants developed ROP (13 infants had stage 1 ROP, nine had stage 2, six had stage 3, six had stage 4, and two had cicatricial stage ROP). Stepwise logistic regression analysis of various potential risk factors (birthweight, gestation, duration of oxygen therapy, duration of ventilation, highest documented PaO2 and exchange transfusion) showed that only two risk factors were significantly associated with the development of ROP. These risk factors were: the duration of oxygen therapy (p = 0.0005) and exchange transfusion during the neonatal period (odds ratio 5.754, 95% confidence interval 1.002 to 32.997, p = 0.049). The equation of the regression model is: log (odds of developing ROP) = −0.8395 + 0.1447 (OXY) − 0.8750 (ET), where OXY is the duration of oxygen therapy in days, ET = −1 when there was a history of exchange transfusion, and ET = 1 when there was no history of exchange transfusion.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Flynn JT . Retrolental fibroplasia: an update. In: Caldwell DR, Baxter R, Carisa D, Wool B, editors. Paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus: transactions of the New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology. New York: Raven Press, 1986:293–325.
Fielder AR, Levene MI . Screening for retinopathy of prematurity. Arch Dis Child 1992;67:860–7.
Ashton N, Ward B, Serpell G . Role of oxygen in the genesis of retrolental fibroplasia. Br J Ophthalmol 1953;37:513–20.
Gunn TR, Easdown J, Outerbridge EW, Aranda JV . Risk factors in retrolental fibroplasia. Paediatrics 1980;65:1096–100.
Yu VHY, Hookham DM, Nave JRM . Retrolental fibroplasia: controlled study of 4 years' experience in a neonatal intensive care unit. Arch Dis Child 1982;57:247–52.
Clark C, Gibbs JAH, Maniello R, Outerbridge EW, Aranda JV . Blood transfusion: a possible risk factor in retrolental fibroplasia. Acta Paediatr Scand 1981;70:535–9.
Gallo JE, Jacobson L, Broberger U . Perinatal factors associated with retinopathy of prematurity. Acta Paediatr 1993;82:829–34.
Prendiville A, Schulenburg WE . Clinical factors associated with retinopathy of prematurity. Arch Dis Child 1988;63:522–7.
Hammer ME, Mullen PW, Ferguson JG, Pai S, Cosby C, Jackson KL . Logistic analysis of risk factors in acute retinopathy of prematurity. Am J Ophthalmol 1986;102:1–6.
Shohat M, Reisner SH, Krikler R, Nissenkorn I, Yassur Y, Ben-Sira I . Retinopathy of prematurity: incidence and risk factors. Paediatrics 1983;72:159–63.
Spires R . Retinopathy of prematurity. J Ophthalmic Nurs Technol 1991;10:166–70.
Yu VY, Lim CT, Downe LM . A 12-year experience of retinopathy of prematurity in infants less than or equal to 28 weeks gestation or less than or equal to 1000 grams birthweight. J Paediatr Child Health 1990;26:205–8.
Charles JB, Ganthier R Jr, Appiah AP . Incidence and characteristics of retinopathy of prematurity in a low-income inner-city population. Ophthalmology 1991;98:14–7.
Fielder AR, Robinson J, Shaw DE, Ng YK, Moseley MJ . Light and retinopathy of prematurity: does retinal location offer a clue? Paediatrics 1992;89:648–53.
Darlow BA, Horwood LJ, Clemett RS . Retinopathy of prematurity: risk factors in a prospective population-based study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 1992;6:62–80.
Palmer EA, Flynn JT, Hardy RJ, Phelps DL, Phillips CL, Schaffer DB, Tung B . Incidence and ealy course of retinopathy of prematurity: the cryotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity cooperative group. Ophthalmology 1991;98:1628–40.
Flynn JT, Bancalari E, Snyder ES, Goldberg RN, Feuer W, Cassady J, Schiffman J, Feldman HI, Bachyuski B, Buckley E, et al. A cohort study of transcutaneous oxygen tension and the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity. N Engl J Med 1992;326:1050–4.
Glass P, Avery GB, Subramaniam KNS, Keys MP, Sostek AM, Friendly DS . Effect of bright light in the hospital nursery on the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity. N Engl J Med 1985;313:401–4.
Ackerman B, Sherwonit E, Williams J . Reduced incidental light exposure: effect on the development of retinopathy of prematurity in low birthweight infants. Paediatrics 1989;83:958–62.
Flynn J . The premature retina: a model for the in vivo study of molecular genetics? Eye 1992;6:161–5.
Reisner SH, Amir J, Shohat M, Krikler R, Nissenkorn I, Ben-Sira I . Retinopathy of prematurity: incidence and treatment. Arch Dis Child 1985;60:698–701.
Schaffer DB, Johnson L, Quinn GE, Weston M, Bowen FW . Vitamin E and retinopathy of prematurity. Ophthalmology 1985;92:1005–11.
Ng YK, Fielder AR, Shaw DE, Levene MI . Epidemiology of retinopathy of prematurity. Lancet 1988;4:1235–8.
Ballard JL, Novak KK, Denver M . A simplified score for assessment of fetal maturation in newborn infants. J Paediatr 1979;95:769–74.
Silverman WA, Anderson DA . A controlled clinical trial of effects of water mist on obstructive respiratory signs, death rates and necropsy findings among premature infants. Paediatrics 1956;17:1–10.
The Committee for the Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity. An international classification of retinopathy of prematurity. Arch Ophthalmol 1984;102:1130–4.
Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group. Multicenter trial of cryotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity: preliminary results. Arch Ophthalmol 1988;106:471–9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Teoh, S., Boo, N., Ong, L. et al. Duration of oxygen therapy and exchange transfusion as risk factors associated with retinopathy of prematurity in very low birthweight infants. Eye 9, 733–737 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1995.186
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1995.186
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Orthopaedics: An Adjunct Therapy with an Emerging Role
Indian Journal of Orthopaedics (2023)