Validation of postnatal growth and retinopathy of prematurity (G‐ROP) criteria for retinopathy of prematurity in a Spanish tertiary care hospital with an advanced neonatal intensive care unit

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) Vol. 100; no. S275
• Main Authors: Picazo, Carlos Cauto, Camps, Isabel Pascual, Pérez, Lorena Azorín, Ruiz, Marta Solaz, García, Laura Fernández, Martínez, Ester Torres, Seller, Amparo Ortiz, Palacios, Inmaculada Almor, Hernández, Ana Rodrigo, González, Honorio Barranco, Gregori, Enrique España
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-12-2022
• Subjects: Age; Birth weight; Gestational age; Hydrocephalus; Infants; Intensive care; Neonates; Patients; Physical growth; Population studies; Retinopathy
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2022.0492

Purpose: Validation of the new Postnatal Growth and Retinopathy of Prematurity (G‐ROP) criteria for screening of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in a Spanish tertiary care hospital with an advanced neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods: Retrospective cohort study that includes premature infants with current ROP screening criteria (less than or equal to 32 weeks of gestational age and/or less than or equal to 1500 g of birth weight) born between January 2017 and December 2021 in a tertiary care hospital with an advanced neonatal intensive care unit. The compliance with the G‐ROP criteria was assessed for each patient, including: gestational age <28 weeks, birth weight <1051 g, weight gain <120 g during 10–19 days postnatal age, <180 g during 20–29 days, <170 g during 30–39 days or hydrocephalus. The objective was to determine specificity, sensitivity and reduction of patients examined with these new criteria.
Results: Of 483 patients included (203 female and 280 male), the new G‐ROP criteria predicted 100% of cases of type 1 ROP (treatment‐requiring ROP) (15 of 15 cases) (Sensitivity 100%, Specificity 37.68%). Applying these criteria, there would be a reduction of 34.36% (166 patients) in infants requiring examination.
Conclusions: This study observes that the new G‐ROP screening criteria may suppose an increase of sensitivity and specificity with a reduction of the number of infants requiring screening. However, other studies with a larger population would be necessary to verify the results.