AIM: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity(ROP)in preterm infants.

METHODS: The wide-field digital pediatric Retinal imaging system was used to screen 2 203 preterm infants with gestational age <37wk or birth weight ≤2 000g in NICU and the Ophthalmology Department of Northwest Women and Children Hospital from January 15, 2015 to October 15, 2017. The screening results were used to calculate the incidence of ROP and to analyze the risk factors.

RESULTS: Totally 367 infants(621 eyes)were diagnosed as retinopathy among 2 203 premature infants and the incidence of ROP was 16.66%; 236 cases(399 eyes)of ROP(26.61%)were detected in 887 cases of premature infants in accord with screening standard of the Chinese Premature Retinopathy Screening Guidelines(2014), and 131 cases(222 eyes)of ROP(9.95%)was detected in 1 316 cases of premature infants outside the screening standard. In our research, the incidence of ROP was related with gestational age, birth weight, oxygen duration and mechanical ventilation. However, the relationship had not been found with artificial insemination, caesarean birth, gender, polyembryony, acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS), hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, gestational diabetes mellitus, intrauterine infection, intrauterine distress, premature rupture of membrane. The incidence of ROP was statistically significant between different gestational age groups, different birth weight groups and different oxygen groups(P<0.05). Logistic analysis showed that gestational age, birth weight, oxygen duration and mechanical ventilation were independent risk factors of ROP.

CONCLUSION: The incidence of ROP is 16.66% in this study, and there is still a certain proportion outside the screening standard of the Chinese Premature Retinopathy Screening Guidelines(2014). Gestational age, birth weight, oxygen duration and mechanical ventilation are high risk factors for ROP.