PURPOSE: To study the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in a neonatal intensive care unit in Croatia and obtain information on risk factors associated with ROP. There have been limited studies on ROP in Croatia where the screening for ROP and its treatment is still insufficient and not introduced in many intensive care units.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 247 premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of University Hospital Split, over a 5-year period between January 2012, and December 2016. In this paper the relationship between clinical risk factors and the development of ROP was analyzed.
RESULTS: The overall incidence for ROP was 23,9 % (59 infants), for Type 1 ROP was 9,3% (23 infants); for Type 2 ROP was 14,6% (36 infants). Median gestational age (GA) and birthweight (BW) were significantly lower among infants with ROP versus those without ROP (29: 23-34 vs. 31: 23-34,p<0,001 and 1,180:630-2,000 vs. 1485:590-2000, p<0,001 respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that only BW (p=0,029) and small for gestational age (SGA) (p=0,045) predicted the development of ROP.
CONCLUSION: Birth weight and small for gestational age were the most significant risk factors for developing ROP. In comparison with studies from highly developed countries, infants with a much wider range of gestational age and birth weights are developing Type 1 ROP.
Incidence and Characteristics of Infants with Retinopathy of Prematurity in Croatia
