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ROP improvement appears to be stagnant, researchers say
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Researchers in Copenhagen have seen an increase in retinopathy of prematurity from 10% to 31% over a 4-year period; statistics are worsening with no clues regarding treatment or other causality. Screening limits should be lowered as a result, the researchers indicated.
Hans C. Fledelius and colleagues reviewed epidemiological data of 1,123 infants born between 1982 and 2001 who were being watched for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). In Denmark, children born at a gestational age of 32 weeks and/or a birth weight of 1,750 g are automatically screened for ROP.
Between 1982 and 2001, fewer infants were at risk for developing ROP than had been when compared with five previous consecutive reports. From 1998 to 2001, however, the percentage of infants developing ROP increased from 10% to 31%. Four recent cases underwent retinal ablation therapy compared with none in the previous 4-year group, the authors noted.
There were no advanced signs of ROP in infants born after 30 weeks GA. The study is published in the February issue of Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica.