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. 2020 Aug 5;10(8):e035341.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035341.

Incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital: a baseline prospective study

Imoro Zeba Braimah  1   2 , Christabel Enweronu-Laryea  3   4 , Adziri Harold Sackey  3   4 , Ernest Kenu  5 , Kofi Agyabeng  6 , Imelda-Odille Dziffa-Bella Ofori-Adjei  2 , Vera Beyuo  2 , Aaron Oku  2 , Vera Adobea Essuman  7   2
Affiliations

Incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital: a baseline prospective study

Imoro Zeba Braimah et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Objective: To determine the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and any associated risk factors among preterm infants at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Level 3 NICU of KBTH from June 2018 to February 2019.

Participants: Eligible infants with birth weight (BW) less than 2 kg or gestational age (GA) less than 37 weeks were examined at scheduled intervals until full maturity of their retina.

Outcome measures: The primary outcome measure was cumulative incidence of ROP and secondary outcome measure was risk factors associated with ROP.

Results: Of the 401 infants, 222 were females (55.4%), mean±SD GA was 32.3±2.4 weeks (median 32, IQR 31 to 34) and mean BW 1.6±0.4 kg (median 1.5, IQR 1.3 to 1.9). The cumulative incidence of ROP was 13.7% (95% CI: 10.5 to 17.5%), with 1.8% (seven infants) having type 1 ROP. Increased risk of ROP was observed in babies with supplemental oxygen exposure (p<0.001), BW less than 1.5 kg (p=0.019), confirmed neonatal sepsis (p=0.001), nasogastric tube feeding (p=0.03) and poor pupillary dilation (0.032). A reduced risk of ROP was observed in boys (p=0.004) and after delivery by caesarean section (p=0.019).

Conclusion: The rates of ROP at KBTH are comparable to other NICUs in sub-Saharan Africa. Birth weight less than 1.5 kg, confirmed neonatal sepsis, nasogastric tube feeding and poor pupil dilation were independently associated with increased incidence of ROP. ROP screening should be a part of the routine service for premature infants in Ghana.

Keywords: neonatal intensive & critical care; neonatology; ophthalmology; paediatric ophthalmology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Diagram showing the flow of participants through the study. ROP, retinopathy of prematurity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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