AIM: To analyze the association of intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)and retinopathy of prematurity(ROP).

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a case series included in ROP screening from January 2011to December 2015 was performed in Suzhou Municipal Hospital. Totally 2 527 children(5 054 eyes)underwent screening. According to the gestational age, the data was divided into 4 groups(≤32wk, >32 and ≤34wk,>34 and ≤37wk, >37wk). Every group was divided into two groups(IUGR group and no IUGR group)respectively. We compared the incidence of ROP in IUGR and non IUGR group.

RESULTS: Of all the 2 527 children, IUGR group were 702 including 78 ROP children, and non IUGR group were 1825 including 329 ROP children. There were 991 children were divided into ≤32wk group, including 63 IUGR in which 27 children were screened out ROP(42.9%)and 928 non IUGR in which 274 children were screened out ROP(29.5%), the difference on the incidence of ROP was statistically significant(χ²=4.958, P=0.026). There were 1025 children were divided into >32 and ≤34wk group, including 232 IUGR in which 33 children were screened out ROP(14.2%)and 793 non IUGR in which 51 children were screened out ROP(6.4%)and the difference was statistically significant(χ²=14.488, P<0.001). There were 464 children were divided into >34 and ≤37wk group, including 374 IUGR in which 18 children were screened out ROP(4.8%)and 90 non IUGR in which 4 children were screened out ROP(4.4%)and the difference was not statistically significant(Fischer exact test, P=1). There were 47 children were divided into >37wk group, including 33 IUGR and 14 non IUGR, none were screened out in the two groups.

CONCLUSION: Intrauterine growth retardation was closely related to the incidence of ROP. In the preterm infants with gestational age less than 34wk, the incidence of ROP in children with intrauterine growth retardation is significantly higher than that in children without intrauterine growth retardation.