Risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity in premature infants weighing less than 1600 g.

There are many risk factors contributing to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Some are still controversial, including the use of glucocorticoid and intraventricular hemorrhage. Hence, a retrospective study was performed to evaluate the association between the suspected risk factors and ROP in a medical center in southern Taiwan. One hundred fifty-nine infants with birth body weight < 1600 g admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit before the 29th day of life were enrolled into this study. Clinical data were analyzed by means of logistic regression. The prevalence of ROP in all infants (birthweight < 1600 g) is 36.48% (58 of 159) and 59.46% (22 of 37) in extremely low birthweight infants (birthweight < or = 1000 g). One infant with gestational age 32 weeks and birthweight 1420 g developed stage III ROP. Logistic regression revealed six factors to be significant variables. Birthweight < or = 1000 g, intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, and use of glucocorticoid or dopamine were risk factors associated with higher incidence of ROP. Supplementation of vitamin E was shown to relate to lower incidence of ROP. This study confirms several risk factors recognized in previous statistical analyses. Sepsis is the most significant factor contributing to ROP. Vitamin E was proven to be effective in prophylaxis of development of ROP. The possibility of development of ROP could not be excluded in infants with gestational age > 32 weeks.

Krypton laser membranotomy in the treatment of dense premacular hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) laser and argon laser membranotomy have been used in patients with premacular hemorrhage to drain premacular blood into the vitreous cavity and rapidly clear the hemorrhage. However, the Nd:YAG laser appears to be difficult to use, and argon laser energy may be more likely to be absorbed by the ocular media. We performed a study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of krypton laser membranotomy in selected cases of premacular hemorrhage. METHODS: Sixteen patients (17 eyes) with dense premacular hemorrhage for 2 weeks or less were enrolled from April 1998 to February 2004. The causes of premacular hemorrhage were proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in 12 eyes, Valsalva retinopathy in 3 eyes, leukemia in I eye and retinal arterial macroaneurysm in I eye. Krypton laser was used to create a membranotomy on the sloping edge of the premacular hemorrhage. Five eyes with PDR were treated with inferior panretinal photocoagulation and laser membranotomy simultaneously. After intravitreal dispersion of premacular blood, fundus examination was performed in all eyes and fluorescein angiography in five eyes to evaluate retinal damage. RESULTS: All eyes had visual improvement within 2 weeks postoperatively. No retinal damage was seen at the site of membranotomy in any eye. No eye needed vitrectomy postoperatively during a mean follow-up duration of 18.6 months. INTERPRETATION: Krypton laser membranotomy appears to be a safe and simple alternative procedure for treating selected cases of premacular hemorrhage. Further trials are necessary to evaluate its benefit.