Retinopathy of prematurity: an analysis of risk factors.

In order to investigate the possible clinical factors related to the occurrence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), 37 very-low-birth-weight infants documented to have ROP were compared to a group of 50 controls during the period from July 1988 to December 1991. The results revealed that: 1) the overall occurrence rate of ROP was 42.5% (37/87), with a higher occurrence rate in the less mature weight-stratified subgroup; 2) patients in the lower stages of ROP generally regressed during the follow-up, while nearly all of those in the higher stages eventually progressed and received surgical intervention; and 3) after multiple logistic regression analysis, the consistently significant factors were birth weight, duration of PaO2 > or = 80 mmHg, ventilation time > or = five days and a blood exchange transfusion. It is suggested that regular examination for ROP in high-risk premature infants is important in combination with other monitoring modalities in neonatal intensive care units to reduce the possible complications and sequelae of ROP.