SOME OF THE RISK FACTORS FOR RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) remains the main cause of visual impairment in preterm infants. The study was aimed to assess the impact of some of the risk factors (gestational age, body weight of children at birth, associated diseases in children, maternal age at delivery, maternal smoking during pregnancy, multiple pregnancies) on the occurrence of ROP in the sample of premature infants. We statistically processed the results (Student’s t test and the χ2 test) of 93 preterm infants of both sexes: 39 boys and 54 girls, examined by indirect ophthalmoscope (Haine 500, Germany) in mydriasis. The examination included all premature neonates with birth weight ≤ 2000g and/or gestational age ≤37 weeks, as well as neonates >37 weeks which have associated risk factors (oxygen, ventilation, sepsis, etc). Among 93 premature infants, with normal findings on the retina there were 72 children (77.42%), while in 21 (22.58%) children we found ROP. Ophthalmological findings: the first stage of ROP was found in 15.05%, the second stage of ROP in 2.15% and third stage of ROP in 5.38% of the examined children. There were no patients with an aggressive form of ROP. Children with ROP were statistically of lower gestational age - 32.10 ± 2.70 compared to children without ROP - 35.37 ± 1.72 (p<0.001). Children with ROP had at birth significant lower body weight of 1741g ± 579.19 than children without ROP - 2168.75 ± 528.58 (p<0.01). Mothers of the children with ROP were, at the time of giving birth, over 29 ± 6.09 years old compared to mothers of children without ROP who were 26.42 ± 5.75 years old (p=0.0773). The presence of other diseases was significantly more prevalent in children with ROP 52.38% vs. 2.78% (p<0.001). The number of mothers of children with ROP who smoked during their pregnacy was considerable - 57.14 % vs. 37.50% (percent of non-smoking mothers), though the difference was not statistically significant. Knowing the risk factors and their mechanisms of action requires a comprehensive approach to the complex problem of preventing prematurity, ROP, and appropriate ROP treatment

Incidence of lip and palate clefts in children in Niš from 1990 to 2007

Introduction. Cleft lip and palate is a complex congenital anomaly of the orofacial system in children. Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of live-born children with cleft lip and/or palate compared to the total number of children born in the period from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2007. Methods. Epidemiological investigation was based on the records of live-born children at the Hospital of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the Clinical Centre Niš. The study included 61,116 live-born children, i.e. 56,905 full-term babies. Results. The total number of registered clefts during the investigation period was 43 (22 boys and 21 girls). The most frequent were the secondary palate clefts (44.2%); combined clefts were present in 34.9%, while primary palate clefts were reported in 20.9%. In respect to the season and order of birth, there was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of the primary, secondary and complete palate clefts. The age of mothers was not identified as a risk factor for the occurrence of cleft lip and palate. Conclusion. In the studied period, 43 children were born with the cleft lip and/or palate, equally in boys as in girls. The secondary palate clefts were most frequent. The season and order of birth had no statistical influence on the occurrence of this anomaly