[Incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity and its association with morbidity and treatments instituted at Hospital Antonio Pedro from Universidade Federal Fluminense, between 2003 and 2005].

Purposes: To evaluate the incidence and the severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants (PTI), its association with morbidity, and the treatments instituted at Antonio Pedro Hospital from the Universidade Federal Fluminense, between the years of 2003 and 2005.

Methods: Transversal and retrospective study performed with 73 PTI, with gestational age (GA) of 32 weeks or less and/or birth weight (BW) of less than 1,500 g. Ophthalmoscopic exam was accomplished between 4 and 6 weeks of chronologic age or within the 32nd to 36th week of postconceptional age. The following data were registered: prenatal check-up, mode of delivery, gestational and childbirth complications, gender, BW, GA, weight-gestational age classification, FiO2 maximum value, oxygen use, presence of patent ductus arteriosus, intracranial hemorrhage, sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, blood transfusion, and surfactant use. CRIB (Clinical Risk Index for Babies) was used as severity score.

Results: Among the studied newborns, 34 did not present retinopathy of prematurity (46.6%). Out of the 53.4% that presented retinopathy of prematurity, 13 had retinopathy of prematurity 1 (17.8%), 20 had retinopathy of prematurity 2 (27.4%) and 6 had retinopathy of prematurity 3 (8.2%). Male newborns corresponded to 45.2% of the sample. 83% of the mothers accomplished prenatal care, 64% presented complications in the gestation period and 38% during the delivery. Cesarean section was the most frequent delivery mode (69%). All preterm infant belonged to the same CRIB score. About half of the sample was small-for-date (49.3%). The lowest GA and BW (p<0.001) were associated to the occurrence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity. The more severe cases of retinopathy of prematurity were associated to higher FiO2 average values. Longer periods of oxygen therapy use were associated with more severe retinal disease (p<0.05). Apgar score at the 5th minute was not related to the occurrence of retinopathy of prematurity (p=0.743). Among the representative variables of treatment and morbidity, just blood transfusion was included in the studied model from multivariate analysis through hierarchical logistic regression.

Conclusion: Although preterm infant features explained partly their influence on the genesis of the disease, blood transfusion was associated to a higher chance of retinopathy of prematurity.