Antecedents and correlates of visual field deficits in children born extremely preterm.

AIM: We sought to identify the antecedents and correlates of visual field deficits (VFDs) at age 2 years among infants born before the 28th week of gestation.

METHODS: The visual fields of 1023 infants were assessed by confrontation at age 2 years. We compared the ante-and postnatal characteristics and exposures of the 65 infants with a VFD to their peers who did not have a VFD. We used time-oriented logistic regression risk models to assess the associations of potential antecedents and correlates with a VFD.

RESULTS: In the final regression model, VFD was associated with maternal consumption of aspirin during the current pregnancy, recurring/persistent acidemia during the first 3 postnatal days, cerebral ventriculomegaly seen on neonatal ultrasound, prethreshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and supplemental oxygen and ventilator dependence at 36 weeks post-menstrual age. Birth before the 27th week was also associated with increased risk, but its significance was diminished by the addition of postnatal variables.

CONCLUSION: In this sample of extremely preterm born infants, antenatal as well as early and late postnatal characteristics and exposures are associated with an increased risk of having a VFD. Our study adds to our knowledge about the complex etiology of visual deficits of prematurity, and supports a multifactorial cause of these deficits.