Is neonatal anemia a risk factor in developing retinopathy of prematurity in premature babies: A prospective observational study in rural central India

• Author Details:   
• Bodhraj Dukhbhajan Lal Dhawan ^*
• Ajab C Dhabarde
• Vaishali B Dhawan
• Nilesh Darvhekar

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Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature babies is mainly associated with lesser gestational age at birth and Low Birth weight. Anaemia in these babies is also known to be associated with higher risk of ROP.

Aim: Present study aims to study the incidence of ROP in a rural Sick – baby Neonatal Care Unit (SNCU) and to compare the incidence of ROP in the Anaemic and non-anaemic babies.

Materials and Methods: In this Prospective Observational Study, a total 100 consecutive preterm babies (with gestational age at birth less than 34 week or Birth weight less than 2000 grams, were studied for the ROP. The incidence of ROP was also studied in anaemic and non-anaemic babies.

Results: 100 babies with Gestational age gestational age at birth ranging from 28 weeks to 34 weeks and birth weight ranging from940 gram to 2000 gram were prospectively studied at SNCU. ROP was observed in 24 babies and remaining 76 babies had zone 3A vascularized retina. Stage 2 was the most commonly seen stage of ROP (12 babies). Stage 1 ROP was seen in 5 cases, stage 3 in 4 cases, stage 4 in 1 baby and Aggressive Posterior ROP (APROP) in 2 babies. Stage 5 was not seen in any baby in this study. Among the 24 babies with ROP, 6 babies (25%) needed treatment and other 18 babies (75%) had spontaneous regression. Out of 100 babies screened / included in study, 16 babies were anaemic. Out of these 16 babies 8 babies (50%) had ROP. Amongst the remaining 84 babies who did not have anaemia 16 babies (19%) had ROP.

Of the 100 babies included in the study, 11 babies had received blood transfusion, among which 6 babies (54.54%) had ROP. Among the remaining 89 babies who didn’t have blood transfusion, 18 babies (20.22%) had ROP.

Conclusion: Anaemia is an important risk factor which affects the incidence of ROP. Anemia should therefore, be avoided and managed in premature babies from ROP management.

Keywords: Anaemia, Retinopathy of prematurity.