Risk and clinical course of retinopathy of prematurity in 78 infants of gestational age 22-25 weeks

Purpose To characterize the retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and survival of infants born at gestational age (GA) of 22-25 weeks. Methods This study was a comparative case series for the total set of 78 infants ≤25 GA screened for ROP at a level IV NICU during a 21-month period. Data are presented on infants screened for ROP from 6 weeks after birth for 22 and 23 weeks\u27 GA infants and from 5 weeks after birth for 24 and 25 weeks\u27 GA. Accounting for the competing risk of mortality, we implemented Cox CR regression models to assess birth weight, GA, and admission diagnosis as potential risk factors for the following time to event outcomes: type 1 disease, aggressive posterior ROP (AP-ROP), plus disease, first presentation of ROP, and worst ROP observed. Results Risk of laser treatment (subhazard ratio [SHR] = 0.56, P = 0.007) and of plus disease (SHR = 0.49, P = 0.001) was increased among those born at lower GA. Twenty infants required laser for type 1 disease at median postmenstrual age (PMA) of 35.8 weeks (range, 33.0-42.7); infants with AP-ROP had laser at PMA of 34.5 weeks (range, 33.0-36.9), 2 weeks earlier than infants without AP-ROP at PMA 36.5 weeks (range, 33.9-42.7). The cumulative probability of receiving laser therapy approached 46% (22 or 23 weeks\u27 GA), 30% (24 weeks\u27 GA), and 18% (25 weeks\u27 GA). Conclusions The 2013 screening guidelines appear to be appropriate for infants of 22 and 23 weeks\u27 GA when ROP screening begins at PMA 31 weeks. Copyright © 2014 by the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

Risk and clinical course of retinopathy of prematurity in 78 infants of gestational age 22-25 weeks

Purpose To characterize the retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and survival of infants born at gestational age (GA) of 22-25 weeks. Methods This study was a comparative case series for the total set of 78 infants ≤25 GA screened for ROP at a level IV NICU during a 21-month period. Data are presented on infants screened for ROP from 6 weeks after birth for 22 and 23 weeks\u27 GA infants and from 5 weeks after birth for 24 and 25 weeks\u27 GA. Accounting for the competing risk of mortality, we implemented Cox CR regression models to assess birth weight, GA, and admission diagnosis as potential risk factors for the following time to event outcomes: type 1 disease, aggressive posterior ROP (AP-ROP), plus disease, first presentation of ROP, and worst ROP observed. Results Risk of laser treatment (subhazard ratio [SHR] = 0.56, P = 0.007) and of plus disease (SHR = 0.49, P = 0.001) was increased among those born at lower GA. Twenty infants required laser for type 1 disease at median postmenstrual age (PMA) of 35.8 weeks (range, 33.0-42.7); infants with AP-ROP had laser at PMA of 34.5 weeks (range, 33.0-36.9), 2 weeks earlier than infants without AP-ROP at PMA 36.5 weeks (range, 33.9-42.7). The cumulative probability of receiving laser therapy approached 46% (22 or 23 weeks\u27 GA), 30% (24 weeks\u27 GA), and 18% (25 weeks\u27 GA). Conclusions The 2013 screening guidelines appear to be appropriate for infants of 22 and 23 weeks\u27 GA when ROP screening begins at PMA 31 weeks. Copyright © 2014 by the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus