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American ROP screening guidelines effective in developing regions

American retinopathy of prematurity screening guidelines are appropriate for use in developing countries, including the third criterion of neonatologists referring sick infants at potentially high risk for ROP, a study found.

The study analyzed gestational age and birth weight from American screening guidelines in 1,302 eyes of 651 infants with ROP.

When examined for current gestational age and birth weight, 86 eyes (6.6%) with ROP were missed. Of those eyes, 38 (2.9%) had potentially treatable ROP or severe ROP requiring treatment.

"The authors believe that the American ROP screening guidelines are appropriate in the current scenario in developing countries," the study authors said. "Increasing the birth weight and gestational age parameters would help to prevent blindness in a few more infants, but considering the limited human resources and trained clinicians available in developing countries, the existing guidelines are feasible."

They said that additional screening parameters "would burden the existing resources and could make the screening program unmanageable."