ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the incidence, the optimal timing of screening examinations for retinopathy of prematurity(ROP) and to analyze perinatal risk factors associated with cryotherapy or lasertherapy(CT/LT) in ROP. METHODS: Medical records of 130 very low birth weight(VLBW) infants who admitted to the NICU of Wonkwang University Hospital from July 1997 to June 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. We evaluated the incidence and severity of ROP by gestational age(GA) and birth weight(BW). And the comparisons of perinatal risk factors between ROP with and without CT/LT have been made. RESULTS: Incidence of ROP was 36.9% and mean GA and BW were 29.1+/-1.99 weeks, 1,153+/-209 gm in VLBW infants respectively. ROP Stage II or greater was 15.4% of VLBW infants, 41.7% of ROP infants, and 27.1% of ROP infants were treated with CT/LT. All infants with BW <750gm or GA <26 weeks were developed ROP with stage II or greater and treated with CT/LT. First detection of ROP was performed at chronologic age(CA) 3 weeks, postconceptional age(PCA) 30 weeks, and first identification of threshold ROP needed with CT/LT were at CA 5 weeks and PCA 33 weeks. The perinatal risk factors with CT/LT for ROP were significant in GA, BW, Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes and number of blood transfusion. The mean time of spontaneous regression is 13.4+/-8.8 weeks in the mild ROP infants without CT/LT. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ROP is 36.9% and the optimal timing of screening for ROP should be selected by earlier time in 2 guidelines of at 5 weeks of CA and 33 weeks of PCA in VLBW infants. And the related risk factors with CT/LT for threshold ROP were GA, BW and Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes and number of blood transfusions.