Incidence of Stage Five Retinopathy of Prematurity in A Tertiary Private Retina Specialty Eye Center in Erbil Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Dilveen Qasim Faki Majeed, Neshiteman Hashim Abdulrahman,
Hasan M. Bahrani
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant contributor to childhood visual impairment on a global scale. This research aimed to ascertain the occurrence and identify the variables contributing to progressive ROP in a specialist ophthalmic facility in Erbil, Iraq. In this cross-sectional research, a total of 277 preterm newborns were examined for ROP between the time frame of January 2021 to May 2023. The researchers reviewed medical records to gather data on the staging of ROP, gestational age, birth weight, duration of neonatal intensive care unit admission, and several other parameters. The findings indicate that out of the 277 newborns that underwent screening, 82 of them, accounting for 29.6% of the total, were diagnosed with stage 5 ROP. A significant correlation existed between lower birth weight, less than 1500g, and an elevated likelihood of stage 5 ROP (p=0.014). The incidence of stage 5 ROP was significantly greater in cases referred by ophthalmologists than those referred by pediatricians (p:0.008). The duration of neonatal intensive care unit stay was found to be significantly greater in newborns diagnosed with stage 5 ROP compared to those with other stages of ROP (mean duration of 27.6 days vs. 21.3 days, p:0.012). Advanced ROP was substantial among this specific cohort of Iraqi individuals. Significant risk variables were lower birth weight, referral to an ophthalmologist, and a more extended stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. The results above underscore the need for enhanced newborn care and focused ROP screening in Iraq to mitigate the risk of visual impairment.
Keywords: Retinopathy of prematurity, Preterm newborns, Neonatal intensive care, Erbil
