H. Tamai et A. Majima, IMPLICATIONS OF THE SEVERITY OF RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY ON CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology, 40(3), 1996, pp. 371-376
This study investigated the severity of retinopathy of prematurity (RO
P) and its relationship to childhood development. The subjects were 21
children with a birthweight of 2500 g or less who were tested for fla
sh visual evoked potential (FVEP) at conceptual ages ranging from 1 to
3 years. We also examined 73 children with a birthweight of 1500 g or
less, using the Developmental Quotient (DQ) test, at 2(1/2) years of
age. Twenty-five of this group were given an Intelligence Quotient (IQ
) test at 6 to 7 years of age. The P-100 latency of FVEP in the severe
ROP group was significantly longer than that of the mild ROP group (P
<0.05). The mean DQ in the severe ROP group was 99.1+/-17.9, signific
antly lower than the 108.7+/-15.5 of the mild ROP group (P <0.05). No
significant IQ differences were found between the two groups. The prop
ortion of children with verbal-performance IQ discrepancies was, howev
er, significantly greater in the severe ROP group than in the mild ROP
group (P <0.05). Since infants with severe ROP are more likely to suf
fer developmental disorders, long-term follow-up is absolutely necessa
ry and must be done in cooperation with pediatricians.