Retinopathy of prematurity practices: a national survey of Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Kourosh Sabri; Mary Angela Woodward; Bethany Easterbrook; Sandesh Shivananda; Canadian Neonatal Network

doi:10.1038/s41372-017-0030-6

Retinopathy of prematurity practices: a national survey of Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units

J Perinatol. 2018 Apr;38(4):381-385. doi: 10.1038/s41372-017-0030-6. Epub 2018 Jan 2.

Authors

Kourosh Sabri^{1

2

3}, Mary Angela Woodward⁴, Bethany Easterbrook⁵, Sandesh Shivananda⁴; Canadian Neonatal Network

Affiliations

¹ Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. [email protected].
² McMaster Paediatric Eye Research Group, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. [email protected].
³ McMaster Pediatric Surgery Research Collaborative, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. [email protected].
⁴ Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁵ McMaster Pediatric Surgery Research Collaborative, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

PMID: 29296003
DOI: 10.1038/s41372-017-0030-6

Abstract

Objective: To examine current level three Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) practices related to ROP screening and treatment.

Study design: A cross-sectional survey was sent to 29 level three NICU's across Canada to survey current screening inclusion criteria, treatment options, supportive care and post-screening events for ROP.

Result: 22/29 (76%) level three NICU's responded. Ten different ROP screening inclusion criteria were found to be in use with significant variation in gestational age and birth weight criteria. Many other national variations also exist regarding the supportive and procedural protocols surrounding ROP screening as well as mode of treatment for ROP.

Conclusion: Despite national guidelines, significant variation in ROP screening inclusion criteria practices exist among neonatal units in Canada. Therefore, there is an urgent need for better evidence-based screening guidelines as well as a need to standardize supportive measures surrounding ROP screening and treatment.

Publication types

Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

Birth Weight
Canada
Cross-Sectional Studies
Gestational Age
Guideline Adherence*
Health Care Surveys
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Neonatal Screening*
Practice Guidelines as Topic*
Practice Patterns, Physicians'*
Retinopathy of Prematurity / diagnosis*