Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity

ABSTRACT

In order to investigate the risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 153 premature badies alive and born in our hospital between October 1994 and January 1997. We performed analysis on birth weight, gestational age, duration of oxygen therapy, duration of oxygen therapy more than 40 percent, maxinmum and mean value of oxygen pressute and mean value of carbon dioxide pressure from arterial blood gas analysis in the first 2 weeks, the presence of multiple birth, surfactant therapy, corticosteroid therapy, and intraventricular hemorrhage. In univatiate analysis, birth weight, duration of oxygen therapy, value of oxygen pressure and mean value of carbon dioxide pressure from arterial blood gas analysis in the first 2 weeks, surfactant therapy, and corticosteroid therapy were statistically significant(p<0.05). Howeverm, in stepwise logistic regression analysis to correct the correlations in multiple variables, only birth weight and duration of oxygen therapy were significant risk factors in 95% confidence interval( 0.05, p<0.05). Birth weight, duration of oxygen therapy, and maximum value of oxygen pressure from arterial blood gas analysis in the first 2 weeks were significant risk factors in 90% confidence interval( 0.1, p<0.1).