The prevalence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity among preterm babies admitted to Soba Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

This is a prospective hospital based study conducted in Soba University Hospital (SUH), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) between January 2012 and January 2013, to determine the prevalence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) among preterm babies admitted to Soba NICU and to assess the outcome of those babies. Ninety-two neonates with gestational age less than 34 weeks at birth were included in the study. Thirty-three of them were males and 59 were females. All of them were admitted to the NICU due to prematurity. Data was collected in a structured questionnaire. Thirty-four infants (37%) developed ROP in one or both eyes; 12 (35.3%) of them developed stage 3 and underwent laser therapy, 2 of them had aggressive posterior form, which was treated with Evastin injection. Seven (20.3%) neonates diagnosed as stage 2, and 13 (37.7%) had stage 1. Statistically, there were significant relationships between ROP and gestational age, birth weight (BW), oxygen therapy, sepsis, and blood transfusion (p=0.000). No significant relationship was found between the occurrence of ROP and sex of the baby, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), hyperbilirubineamia, intraventricular haemorrage (IVH) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), p >0.000 in all of them. The prevalence of ROP in this study was 37%. Low BW, low gestational age, oxygen therapy, and blood transfusion were all significant risk factors for ROP. ROP should be highlighted in Sudan, and screening program should be recommended for all premature babies.