Incidence of Type-1 Retinopathy of Prematurity in Premature Babies Born Small for Gestational Age

Sum mary Pur po se: To compare the incidence of type retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in patients small for gestational age (SGA) and in patients appropriate for gestational age (AGA) in a developing country. Ma te ri al and Met hod: We included in this study infants (n=162) with gestational age (GA) ≤34 weeks who were screened for ROP in a neonatal intensive care unit between June 2007 and December 2011 and were followed up until the retina was completely vascularized or ROP was regressed. Type 1 ROP was defined according to the ETROP study. To describe the incidence of type 1 ROP, data were analyzed in two main groups: (A) SGA-group and (B) AGA-group. SGA was defined as birth weight below the 10th percentile for gestational age. GA in weeks, birth weight (BW) in grams (g), ROP at any stage, type 1 ROP, and post menstrual age (PMA) at type 1 ROP were evaluated for the two groups. Retrospective review of records was performed. Re sults: BW (in mean±SD) was 832.45±131.74 g in group A and 962.97±351.47 g in group B; GA (in mean±SD) was 29.27±2.4 weeks in group A and 27.36±2.8 weeks in group B, with significant difference between the groups (p=0.001 vs. p<0.0001). Overall incidence of any-stage ROP was 41.2% in group A and 45.9% in group B, while type 1 ROP was 17.6% in group A and 15.3% in group B. PMA at type 1 ROP detection was 35±3.6 weeks in group A and 33.83±2.7 weeks in group B, without significant difference (p=0.57 vs. 0.44 vs. 0.23). In group A, the earliest diagnosis of type 1 ROP was 31 weeks PMA, the latest diagnosis was 43 weeks PMA. In group B, the earliest diagnosis of type 1 ROP was 32 weeks PMA, the latest diagnosis was 42 weeks PMA. Dis cus si on: In groups A and B, larger infants may develop type 1 ROP and require treatment. Overall incidence of type 1 ROP in groups A and B is without significant difference. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2013; 43: 340-4)