Decreased prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity in an inner-city hospital

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Improvements in care- of low birth weight preterm infants has led to an increased survival of this population. It is not kno wn whether the improved care has decreased the prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), or whether the survival of even smaller infants has inc reased the prevalence. The purpose of this study was to determine the preva lence of ROP in an inner-city hospital during two time periods to determine whether the prevalence is changing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The frequency and characteristics of ROP were compare d between a 10-month observation period in 1995-1996 and published data fro m a similar time period in 1988-1989. RESULTS: There were fewer cases of ROP per live births less than 1500 g dur ing 1995-1996 compared with 1988-1989 (P<.0001). This included both mild an d severe ROP. When the two racial subgroups were examined separately, there was a statistically significant decline for the black (P <.001) but not th e Hispanic population (P =.12). The Mantel-Haenszel chi(2) test confirmed t hat the decline was statistically significant when the two groups were comb ined (P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this population, the prevalence of ROI, appears to have dec reased between 1995-1996 and 1988-1989. The subgroup experiencing the bigge st decline was black: infants, Other studies should be performed to investi gate whether the frequency of ROP has also declined in other settings.