Srinivasan Chinnasamy, Sumathi Periasamy, Sabana Fathima V A and Tupili Vineetha
Abstract
Background: Low birth weight, prematurity, and prolonged oxygen therapy are some of the variables that contribute to Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), a disorder that affects premature infants and can cause blindness owing to undeveloped retinal blood vessels. With rising neonatal survival rates, ROP incidence has increased. This Observation descriptive study aimed to identify risk factors, assess their relationship with ROP, and estimate its incidence in preterm newborns at our tertiary care center, considering both genetic and environmental influences. Materials and Methods: For two years, from May 2022 to May 2024, the Department of Ophthalmology at Chengalpattu Medical College & Hospital carried out this observation descriptive study. Sample size of around 1500- Low birth weight newborns (less than 2,500g) and preterm infants (less than 37 weeks) who were checked for ROP were included. Indirect ophthalmoscopy, a 20D lens, a portable fundus camera, Vectis, and a wire speculum were among the tools utilized. Inclusion criteria covered all intramural infants meeting gestational age or weight criteria, while exclusions included those with ocular media opacities or inadequate follow-up (<3 visits). Point estimates and 95% CI were computed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 for data analysis. Results: Of the patients in our study, the majority (98.9%) had no ROP, whereas 0.5% had stage 1, 0.5% had stage 2, and 0.1% had stage 3. 52.1% of the 1500 newborns were male, and 47.9% were female. The following risk factors were shown to be significant by univariate analysis: low gestational age, low birth weight, RDS, PDA, sepsis, NEC, and blood transfusion; there were also substantial correlations between PDA and blood transfusion. Low birth weight was validated by multivariate logistic regression as an independent risk factor for ROP. Conclusion: This study emphasizes low birth weight and PDA as key independent risk factors for ROP, highlighting the need for targeted neonatal care, PDA prevention, and cautious blood transfusion practices. The findings align with existing research, reinforcing the importance of comprehensive neonatal management. Future studies should explore early biomarkers and intervention strategies to further reduce ROP incidence and improve outcomes for preterm infants.
