Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Treatment Requiring Retinopathy of Prematurity in Big Premature Infants in Turkiye-Report No: 1 (BIG-ROP STUDY)

Introduction: To analyse the clinical and demographic features of infants with gestational age (GA) of 32-37 weeks (wk) and birth weight (BW) of >1500 g who developed treatment requiring retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods: Data on the infants with a GA of 32-37 wk and BW >1500 g who developed treatment-requiring ROP were collected retrospectively from the 33 ROP centres in Turkiye. GA, BW, type of hospital, neonatal intensive care units (NICU) level, presence of an ophthalmologist and neonatologist in the same hospital, length of stay in NICU, duration of oxygen therapy, comorbidities, type of ROP and timing for treatment-requiring ROP (TR-ROP) development were analysed. Results: 366 infants were included in the study. Mean GA and BW were 33±1 wk and 1896±316g, respectively. Duration of hospitalisation was 3-4 wk in 46.8% of them. The first ROP examination was performed at postnatal 4-5 wk in 80.3% of infants, which was significantly later in level 2 and lower NICUs and non-university clinics. ROP was detected in 90.9% of infants at the first ROP examination, especially in clinics without an ophthalmologist. In 15.3% of the infants, treatment was required in the fourth postnatal week. The mean postnatal week of TR-ROP development was 6.16±2.04 wk. Conclusion: Routine ROP screening thresholds need to be expanded in hospitals with suboptimal NICU conditions considering the development of TR-ROP in more mature and heavier preterm infants. The first ROP examination should be earlier than the fourth postnatal week.