Can a Risk Factor Based Approach Safely Reduce Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity?

Table 1

Clinical characteristics of study population stratified by gestational age and birth weight.

	GA < 29 weeks ()	GA ≥ 29 weeks ()		BW < 1250 g ()	BW ≥ 1250 g ()		GA ≥ 29 weeks and BW ≥ 1250 g ()
Any ROP , (%)	648 (54)		<0.001	692 (44)		<0.001	40 (4)
Severe ROP , (%)	249 (21)		<0.001	254 (16)		<0.001	3 (0.3)
Laser surgery , (%)	131 (11)		<0.001	134 (9)		<0.001	1 (0.1)
Sepsis , (%)	976 (82)		<0.001	1250 (80)		<0.001	723 (64)
NEC surgery , (%)	39 (3)		<0.001	45 (3)		<0.001	15 (1)
MV days (median, IQR)	19 (5–42)		<0.001	11 (2–36)		<0.001	1 (0–4)
iNO , (%)	182 (15)		<0.001	183 (12)		<0.001	30 (3)
PDA surgery , (%)	239 (20)		<0.001	250 (16)		<0.001	17 (2)

GA: gestational age; BW: birth weight; ROP: retinopathy of prematurity; NEC: necrotizing enterocolitis; iNO: inhaled nitric oxide; PDA: patent ductus arteriosus; IQR: interquartile range. Severe ROP was defined as ≥stage 3 ROP or any ROP requiring treatment. For all comparisons by both GA and BW, P < 0.001 ( is categorical variables Chi Squared Analysis and is MV days Mann–Whitney U, resp.).