The Effect of Dopamine therapy on the Development of Retinopathy of Prematurity

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Since a recent study that the use of dopamine therapy for the hypotension of premature infants was a risk factor on the development of retinopathy of prematurity was reported, this study was intended to access whether treatment of premature infants with dopamine acts as a risk factor for development of retinopathy of prematurity. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 123 premature infants who had been admitted in our Neonate Intensive Care Unit, and were alive and born under 36 weeks of gestational age, between January 1995 and December 1999. In comparing dopamine treated group (91) and non-treated group (31), we performed univariate and multivariate statiscal analysis for the comparisons of two groups. RESULTS: Although in the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity, dopamine treated group (51 of 91,55.4%) was higher than non-treated group (15 of 31,48.4%), statistically, it was not significantly different(P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use of dopamine therapy was not risk factor for the development of retinopathy of prematurity.