[Retinopathy of prematurity in Denmark 1974-1991. Analysis of the data from the Danish Registry of Diseases].

This study deals with registered Danish children with visual handicap due to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) born between 1974 and 1991. There are 141 such children, corresponding to a frequency of 13.1 per 100.000 liveborn. The data was analysed for trends in time by chronologically subdividing the material into thirds, each group comprising 47 subjects. Birth weight and gestational age showed a decline over the period, median values in the three groups in chronological order being respectively 1.250 g, 1.100 g, and 960 g and 30, 28, and 27 weeks. Associated CNS handicaps were recorded in 17, 38, and 34%. Visual impairment was severe in all groups, the median corrected acuity of the better eye being below 1/60. Geographically there was a significant shift from an even distribution nationwide towards there being a preponderance of severe ROP cases in the Copenhagen area.