To determine anemia as an independent risk factor for incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity.
Anemia as an independent risk factor for incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity
Abstract
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effect of anemia as an independent risk factor on incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Method: The prospective observational study was conducted at the Pediatric department of Hameed Lateef Hospital, Lahore after obtaining informed consent. A total of 150 premature infants between 28 to 36+6 weeks of gestation were included. A hemoglobin concentration less than 12g/dl for premature infants born between 28 to 34 weeks of gestation and less than 10 g/dl for newborns born between 35 to 36+7 weeks of gestation was taken significant. Hemoglobin levels were measured within the first 48 hours after birth and at 04-weeks age to ensure accurate assessment of anemia status. Infants with significant congenital abnormalities or syndromes unrelated to anemia prematurity were excluded. Keeping the confidence interval 80% and a margin of error of 5% data was analyzed using SPSS 20 software. Logistic regression performed to analyze association between the risk of anemia and ROP.
Results: The sample consisted of total 150 premature infants including 62 females (41.3%) and 87 males (58.7%). The average birth weight was 1.65 (SD = 0.51). The mean Hb was 14.106 (SD= 3.25). Mean age of all the patients was 30.51 ± 11.57 days. Mean gestational age was 32.02 ± 2.15 weeks. Only 33 (22.0%) of the cases were anemic. ROP was present in 58 (38.7%) of the study population (Table 3). Out of ROP (Table-4), Zone 1 was involved in 25 (43.1%), Zone 2 was involved in 18 (31.0%), and Zone 3 was involved in 15 (25.9%). On simple linear regression analysis, anemia was an independent risk factor for incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (R2 = 0.115, F = 19.140, p <0.001). However, anemia was not an independent risk factor for the zone involved in retinopathy of prematurity (R2 = 0.007, F = 0.410, p = 0.524).
Conclusion: The study concludes that anemia is an independent risk factor for incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity in preterm neonates between 48 hours to 4 weeks of life.
Key words: Anemia, Retinopathy of prematurity, Gestational age, low birth weight
