Risk factors in retinopathy of prematurity. a multivariate statistical analysis

Abstract

Objective: To analyze risk factors in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Patients and methods: Four hundred forty-seven surviving very-low-birth-weight infants (birth weight </=1,500 g) were enrolled in a retrospective study. Clinical data underwent multivariate analysis using stepwise logistic forward regression.

Results: For 402 of the babies a complete dataset of 38 possible risk factors was available. Multivariate analysis showed 10 factors to be independently significant variables. Low birth weight, low gestational age, artificial ventilation for more than 7 days, high volume of blood transfusion and surfactant therapy were risk factors associated with higher rates of ROP. Necrotizing enterocolitis, maternal pre-eclampsia, lung maturation by antepartum betamethasone application, vitamin E and phototherapy were accompanied by a lower incidence of ROP.

Conclusions: This study confirms several risk factors recognized by previous statistical analysis. In addition, this study reveals maternal pre-eclampsia, which is associated with chronic intrauterine stress, as a statistically independent factor and as having an influence on the incidence of ROP.