PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Dordi Austeng
AU  - Karin B M Källen
AU  - Uwe W Ewald
AU  - Agneta Wallin
AU  - Gerd E Holmström
TI  - Treatment for retinopathy of prematurity in infants born before 27 weeks of gestation in Sweden
AID  - 10.1136/bjo.2009.170704
DP  - 2010 Sep 01
TA  - British Journal of Ophthalmology
PG  - 1136--1139
VI  - 94
IP  - 9
4099  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/94/9/1136.short
4100  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/94/9/1136.full
SO  - Br J Ophthalmol2010 Sep 01; 94
AB  - Aims To study various aspects of treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in a Swedish population of extremely preterm infants born before 27 weeks of gestation.Methods A national, prospective and population-based study was performed in Sweden from 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2007. The criteria for the treatment of ROP accorded with the recommendations of the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.Results Twenty per cent of the infants (99/506) were treated for ROP. The likelihood of reaching treatment criteria nearly doubled for each week of reduction in gestational age at birth. The first treatment was performed at an earlier postmenstrual age in the most immature infants. One third of the infants had more than one session of laser treatment.Conclusions A high percentage of these extremely preterm infants required treatment for ROP. The likelihood of reaching treatment criteria increased with a decline in gestational age at birth. Although only a few infants progressed to ROP stages 4 and 5, the findings of this study indicate a potential for improvement in the treatment routines, both regarding the timing and number of laser spots at the first treatment.