Features of retinopathy of prematurity in Villa Clara

Abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity is the most common cause of childhood blindness, It is a vasoproliferative disease of the retina and vitreous that occurs in premature infants. It is due to abnormal pathologic, in which the retinal blood vessels stop growing and developing normally. A retrospective longitudinal study was performed on retinopathy of prematurity in Villa Clara province, on 37 newborns diagnosed with the disease, from October 2002 to September 2006, with the purpose of describing the features thereof, as well as risk factors that affected the prevalence. 271 children were examined presenting disease 13.7%, with a predominance of female sex, birth weight between 1001 to 1350 and 1351 grams and 1700 grams , gestational age between 30 - 34 weeks and one birth. Predominated in the risk factors administering oxygen, the use of steroids, respiratory distress syndrome, blood transfusions and sepsis. The most affected area was the 3 for 78.4 % and 13.5 % were stage III plus. Laser treatment and cryotherapy was applied to patients who reached stage III plus and stage III.

Keywords

• retinopatía de la prematuridad
• bajo peso al nacer
• factores de riesgos.