Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an abnormal proliferative retinal blood vessel in premature infants. ROP is known as one of the causes of blindness in children in developed countries. Objectives: We conducted this study to report the incidence and identify the potential risk factors associated with ROP. Methods: This study was a hospital-based retrospective cohort study of preterm infants in the tertiary neonatal intensive care unit from May 2009 to April 2011. The ROP was identified by an ophthalmologist with binocular indirect ophthalmoscope (BIO). Potential risk factors such as gestational age, birth weight, oxygen therapy, sepsis, small for gestational age, blood transfusion, asphyxia, and respiratory distress syndrome were analyzed using the bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results: There were 248 preterm infants enrolled in this study. Thirty-two (12.9%) patients were diagnosed with various ROP stages, and 43.7% patients suffer from severe ROP requiring treatment for severe ROP. Gestational age and birth weight were not independent risk factors of ROP. In contrast, oxygen therapy (OR 36.93, CI 4.73-288.02), sepsis (OR 4.86, CI 1.85-12.82), and small for gestational age (OR 3.99, CI 1.47-10.82) include as independent risk factors. Conclusions: Incidence of ROP were 12.9%, while the independent risk factors were oxygen therapy, sepsis, and small for gestational age.

retinopathy of prematurity

binocular indirect opthalmoscope

blindness

premature

risk factor