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Towards a universal approach for screening of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)

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Abstract

To improve the cost-benefit ratio of our current screening program for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), the records of 312 infants who had been screened for ROP were studied retrospectively. Using a safety-index containing three well known risk factors (birthweight, gestational age, oxygen use), infants were classified to be at high risk or low risk for the development of ROP. When all high risk infants would have been screened extensively from the 5th postnatal week onwards and all low risk infants would have been screened once at the 7th postnatal week, a 9.8% reduction of ophthalmological examinations would have been obtained at the expense of missing 2.9% of non vision threatening ROP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. F.C. Donders Institute for Ophthalmology (E03.136), University Hospital, Postbus 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Nicoline E. Schalij-Delfos

  2. Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Postbus 18009, 3501 CA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Bart L. M. Zijlmans & Bernard P. Cats

Authors
  1. Nicoline E. Schalij-Delfos
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  2. Bart L. M. Zijlmans
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  3. Bernard P. Cats
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Schalij-Delfos, N.E., Zijlmans, B.L.M. & Cats, B.P. Towards a universal approach for screening of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Doc Ophthalmol 92, 137–144 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02583285

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