Frequency and Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Newborns Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Hamadan

Background and Objective: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an evolutionary disorder in the retina of premature infants. Nowadays, the prevalence rate of retinopathy has increased due to the advancement of medical facilities and the increased survival of preterm infants. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of ROP and its related risk factors among infants admitted to and examined at neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) affiliated to Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on all premature infants selected with census sampling methods and with a gestational age of fewer than 34 weeks who were hospitalized in NICU for four weeks or more. The premature infants were investigated regarding the incidence of retinopathy and its risk factors. Results: Out of 80 neonates under study, 24 (30%) cases suffered from ROP, of which 16 and 8 neonates were in stage I and II of ROP, respectively.  Moreover, the mean gestational age of newborns was 29.71±2.16 weeks, and more than 75% of ROP were observed in neonates under 29 weeks' gestational age. In addition, the results revealed that ROP correlated significantly with gestational age, low birth weight, 1st and 5th minute Apgar scores, the need to resuscitation, the use of inotropic drugs, and duration of oxygen therapy. However, there was a significant relationship between low birth weight and retinopathy based on the results obtained from logistic regression. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of ROP stands on average regarding the results obtained from Iranian and foreign published data. Among the independent variables that affect retinopathy, low birth weight was the only significant variable affecting the incidence of retinopathy.