ROP in three follow-up studies from Rigshospitalet during the period 1976-1987.

Three studies of late outcome in groups of consecutively admitted very low birthweight or very pre-term infants have recently been reported from Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen. The periods were 1976-78, 1980-82, and 1984-87. The incidences of blindness due to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and of motor deficit due to cerebral palsy (CP) are analysed in this report. For the present purpose selection within the three groups made them more, although not entirely, comparable. In spite of marked changes in the use of mechanical ventilation, and in survival rate, the incidences of ROP as well as CP remained constant, at about 5% and 10% of the survivors, respectively. The actual numbers are too small for clearcut conclusions but the analysis supports two previously formed notions: 1) According to monitoring of blood gases deviating oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions do not appear as prime factors in inducing neither ROP nor CP, and 2) a very preterm infant of given size and maturity has become less exposed to ROP and CP over the years.