Publication

[The early postnatal weight gain as a predictor of retinopathy of prematurity]

Journal Paper/Review - Apr 11, 2011

Units
PubMed
Doi

Citation
Flückiger S, Bucher H, Hellström A, Lövqist C, Sturm V, Arri S. [The early postnatal weight gain as a predictor of retinopathy of prematurity]. Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2011; 228:306-10.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (Deutsch)
Journal
Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2011; 228
Publication Date
Apr 11, 2011
Issn Electronic
1439-3999
Pages
306-10
Brief description/objective

BACKGROUND
Premature infants are often stressed by the current retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening procedure. Additionally, only < 10 % of the screened infants will develop a ROP stadium requiring laser therapy. Therefore the present screening strategy is unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the current guidelines do not take into account postnatal factors. A new method considering postnatal factors is the weight, insulin-like growth factor, neonatal ROP (WINROP) algorithm. This approach is based on the early postnatal weight gain. The aim of this study was to assign the WINROP-algorithm to a preterm population in Switzerland and to analyze its ability for prediction.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
In this retrospective study, all preterm infants with a gestational age (GA) < 32 weeks and/or a birth weight (BW) ≤ 1500 g taken care of in the Department of Neonatology at the University Hospital Zurich from January 2003 to December 2008 were included. The weekly postnatal weight gain was analyzed by means of the modified WINROP-algorithm.

RESULTS
Altogether 376 preterm infants were analyzed. In 58 infants a "high-risk" alarm was released, thereof eight preterms developed a severe ROP and four of them needed laser therapy.

CONCLUSIONS
The high predictive value of the WINROP-algorithm was confirmed in our population of Swiss preterms. This instrument has the potential to simplify the current ROP screening procedure. Accordingly, the amount of ophthalmoscopies could be reduced significantly.