Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Study of Incidence and Risk Factors in a Tertiary Hospital in Vietnam

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and risk factors for the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Hue Central Hospital, Vietnam. METHODS: A prospective study was performed in 214 preterm infants with gestational age (GA) ≤33 weeks and/or ≤1800 grams of birth weight (BW) or infants with a GA >33 weeks and a BW >1800 grams with an unstable clinical course who were screened for ROP in Hue Central Hospital, Vietnam. RESULTS: Fifty-eight infants (27.1%) developed ROP; 39.7% cases were stage 1, 34.5% cases were stage 2, and 25.8% cases were stage 3. Gestational age (GA), birth weight, anemia, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, total days on oxygen supplementation > 1 week, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), mechanical ventilation, blood transfusion, and surfactant had a significant association with ROP in univariate analysis (p<0.05). Using multivariate analysis, GA less than 32 weeks, sepsis, and CPAP/mechanical ventilation remained independent risk factors for ROP development. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ROP in Vietnam was 27.1%. A GA less than 32 weeks, sepsis, and CPAP/mechanical ventilation are important risk factors for developing ROP.