Abstract
Background and objectives: Retinopathy of prematurity is a disease that affect 65% of premature newborns with low birth weight and could result in low vision and even blindness in majority of them. Early diagnosis could improve the success rate of treatment and reduce the complications of the disease. In the present study the incidence of the disease and factors that could increase its frequency is investigated.
Materials and Methods: In the present study, 150 immature newborns are included. The cases, were whether hospitalized in NICU center in Alzahra Gynecology hospital, or referred from different cities of east Azerbaijan to private clinic. The inclusion criteria in study group were gestational age less than 36 weeks and birth weight lower than 2000 gr.
Results: Our study show that from the studied newborns, 82.7% had no ROP and 17.3% had ROP. The birth weight and gestational age in all ROP newborns were significantly lower than the non- ROP cases (p<0.01).
Study of correlation between ROP and different parameters showed that there is a positive correlation between type of oxygen therapy, percent of O2 saturation, respiratory distress syndrome, presence of cardiovascular disease, cesareans asphyxia cyanosis apnea and septicemia and ROP occurrence.
Conclusion: Prevalence of ROP in our study is lower than the advanced centers. Low birth weight and gestational age are important factors in acquiring ROP. There is a positive correlation between ROP and the presence of underlying disease in premature newborns.