Factors associated with Retinopathy of Prematurity in very low weight neonates (2016-2020)

Abstract

Introduction: Retinopathy of prematurity is an alteration of the vascularization of the newborn's retina, of multifactorial origin and there are numerous risk factors associated with its development.

Objective: To determine the main factors associated with this disease in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Ivan Portuondo Hospital, Cuba.

Methods: Retrospective analytical study (case-control), carried out during the years 2016-2020, which included all neonates with very low birth weight investigated by the National Program for the Prevention of Blindness due to Prematurity Retinopathy, making a comparison between two groups (with and without retinopathy). For the comparison between the groups, a bivariate analysis (Odds Ratio OR) was performed with a 95% confidence interval.

Results: The incidence of Retinopathy of Prematurity in very low weight neonates was 15.6%, being more frequent at a lower gestational age (44.0% in those under 30 weeks). A strong association was found between retinopathy, respiratory distress of prematurity (OR: 5.67) and late neonatal sepsis (OR: 3.04). The main risk factors identified in our casuistry were mechanical ventilation (OR: 5.55), red blood cell transfusions (OR: 4.37) and resuscitation at birth (OR: 2.87).

Conclusions: The incidence increased at a lower gestational age, and the main factors associated with this disease were respiratory distress in premature infants and mechanical ventilation.