The Incidence and Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Sick Newborn Care Unit in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Eastern India - A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Abstract

BACKGROUND Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the leading causes of ocular morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Prematurity, low–birth, and oxygen therapy are considered to be the common risk factors. The maldeveloped retina in those affected are very much prone to develop refractive error, neo-vasculopathy, and neurosensory detachment. The purpose of our study was to find out the incidence and ascertain the risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity among the neonates attending the sick neonatal care unit and OPD of Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital. METHODS This is an institution based cross-sectional observational study conducted in the sick newborn care unit of a tertiary care hospital. Informed consent was obtained from the parents along with proper birth history. Indirect ophthalmoscopy with a + 20 dioptre (+ 20 D) lens with a paediatric scleral depressor was performed in each eye under the guidance of the neonatologist after pupillary dilatation. If either eye was found to have ROP, the baby was considered as an ROP case in the study and each eye was considered as a single case. RESULTS 50.27 % babies (N = 91) were delivered by Lower Uterine Segment Caesarean Section (LSCS) and 55. 24 % babies were < 32 weeks of gestational age whereas 21.45 % (N = 39) babies were having < 1500 gm birth weight. Phototherapy was needed in 50 % of the babies (N = 92) whereas hyperbilirubinemia was present in 59.66 % of total babies. Bradycardia, apnoea, and sepsis were present in 29.83 % (N = 54), 25.41 % (N = 46), 41.98 % (N = 76) of the babies respectively. When compared in the two independent groups (ROP present and absent), low gestational age and low birth weight of the babies were found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05) for the development of ROP. After adjusting with different factors in the regression model we have found that low birth weight and oxygen therapy after birth were statistically significant with the development of ROP (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS ROP screening, specifically for those babies with low-birthweight, low gestational age, and those who received oxygen therapy for other systemic reasons, is mandatory to have an early diagnosis and treatment done. KEYWORDS ROP, Low-Birthweight, Gestational Age, Oxygen Therapy