Evaluation and modification of French screening guidelines for retinopathy of prematurity

Acta Ophthalmol. 2022 Nov;100(7):e1451-e1454. doi: 10.1111/aos.15091. Epub 2022 Jan 26.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the current French screening guidelines for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and to suggest modifications to it.

Methods: In this multicentric retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series we included infants with a gestational age (GA) ≤32 weeks who were screened for ROP by fundus examination between 2011 and 2018. Main Outcome Measures were the presence of ROP and the need for treatment.

Results: A total of 2246 children with a mean GA of 28.9 ± 2.0 weeks and mean birth weight (BW) of 1141.1 ± 332.0 g were screened. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was found in 683 infants (30.4%), of whom 145 (6.5%) had type 2 ROP and 58 (2.6%) had type 1 ROP. Mean GA of infants with type 1 ROP needing treatment was 25.9 + 1.5 weeks (range: 23.6-30) and mean BW was 774.1 ± 173.7 g (range: 540-1400). Both GA and BW had an impact on the development of type 1 and 2 ROP. None of the infants needing treatment had a GA of 31 weeks or more. None of the children needed treatment before 33 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA) or 6 weeks of postnatal age (PNA).

Conclusion: It seems possible to decrease the screening of premature infants to ≤31 weeks of GA and to start screening at 31 weeks PMA for infants having a GA < 26 weeks and at 6 weeks PNA for more mature children.

Keywords: laser photocoagulation; retinopathy of prematurity; screening; treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Birth Weight
  • Child
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Neonatal Screening
  • Retinopathy of Prematurity* / diagnosis
  • Retinopathy of Prematurity* / epidemiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors