Evaluation of risk factors for retinopathy in preterm infant: a case-control study in a referral hospital in Iran

AIM: Aim of the study was to detect possible risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), as a leading cause of treatable childhood blindness, among premature neonates. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 60 premature neonates with ROP and 60 premature infants without ROP were entered and compared. Variables such as gestational age, birth weight, oxygen therapy, phototherapy, and so on were gathered and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Significant statistical differences were seen regarding gestational age (29.3±3.1 weeks in the ROP group vs. 31.9±2.2 in control group) and first-minute apgar score (6.55±1.7 in the ROP group vs. 7.06±2.3 in the control group). Regarding comparisons made in terms of therapeutic interventions made, only oxygen therapy and phototherapy showed significant differences between the two groups which were higher in the ROP group. CONCLUSION: Gestational age (lower in the ROP group), first-minute Apgar score (lower mean score in the ROP group), birth weight, phototherapy, and oxygen therapy were factors discovered to affect the occurrence of ROP among premature infants. Higher birth weight and more advanced gestational age were protective factors for ROP. Oxygen therapy and multiple birth are ROP risk factors and these can be used for prediction of ROP occurrence