J Korean Med Sci.  2015 Oct;30(Suppl 1):S88-S94. 10.3346/jkms.2015.30.S1.S88.

Retinopathy of Prematurity among Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants in Korea: Incidence, Treatment, and Risk Factors

• Hwang JH
• Lee EH
• Kim EA

• KMID: 2351141
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2015.30.S1.S88

Abstract

This study was conducted to describe the incidence, risk factors, and current treatment status of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants registered in the Korean Neonatal Network database. Medical records of 2,009 VLBW infants born between January 2013 and June 2014 who underwent examination by an ophthalmologist were reviewed. The total incidence of ROP was 34.1%. Of the patients, 11.6% showed ROP stage > or = 3 and 11.5% received treatment of VLBW. Among all infants who received treatment of ROP, 63.6% underwent operation only; 16.9%, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment only; and 19.5%, both operation and anti-VEGF treatment. The mean gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW) were significantly lower and the prevalence rates of respiratory distress syndrome, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), invasive ventilator duration, and sepsis were significantly higher in the VLBW infants with ROP than in those without ROP. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, PDA (odd ratio [OR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-3.79) and invasive ventilator duration (OR, 1.0; 95% CI, 1.00-1.02) were significant risk factors of ROP and ROP stage > or = 3. In conclusion, the high incidence of ROP is associated with low GA and BW, and attempt to reduce the aforementioned risk factors could reduce the incidence of ROP stage > or = 3 in VLBW infants.

Keyword

Retinopathy of Prematurity; Infant; Very-Low-Birth-Weight

MeSH Terms

Antibodies/therapeutic use
Birth Weight
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infant Mortality
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
*Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
Logistic Models
Male
Odds Ratio
Prevalence
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Retinopathy of Prematurity/drug therapy/*epidemiology/mortality
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/immunology
Antibodies
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of the enrolled patient in the study. ROP, retinopathy of prematurity; VLBW, very-low-birth-weight infant; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.

• 

  Fig. 2 The incidences of severity of ROP and treatment according to the gestational age and birth weight in VLBW infants. (A) The incidences of severity of ROP and treatment according to gestational age. (B) The incidences of severity of ROP and treatment according to birth weight. ROP, retinopathy of prematurity; VLBW, very-low-birth-weight.

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