Characteristics of babies referred for Retinopathy of prematurity screening and management to a tertiary eye hospital of Bangladesh, a database analysis

Abstract Background: Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital (IIEIH) is a leading ROP screening center in Bangladesh. The study had an aim to analyze the characteristics of referred babies and identify possible bottlenecks. Methods : Electronic records of babies referred to IIEIH for a period of three years (2016-2918) were analyzed retrospectively. All the babies registered in the electronic file were screened by any of the three consultants with keen interest in ROP. Variables of interest were ROP stage, gestational age, birth weight, time to screening, referring institution and treatment modalities (laser, Anti-VEGF, retina surgery or combination). Data were exported to SPSS version 23 for Mac for descriptive and correlation analysis. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: 887 babies with ROP stage 1 or above were registered, a large majority were referred by private institutions (75%), 60% of babies were moderate pre-terms according to WHO classification, the mean birth weight was 1563±397.1 grams. ROP was largely stage 2 (37%) and 61% of babies had at least one treatment modality. The younger the gestational age and the lower the birth weight, the higher the risk of presenting with ROP with advanced stage. Conclusion : The majority of babies with ROP came from private institutions and more than half of them needed at least one treatment modality. We recommend a large study to analyze the incidence and availability of ROP services in public hospitals. Key words : Retinopathy of prematurity, screening, treatment options, Referrals