A Good Way to Reduce Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity: Development of the ROP Model in a China Preterm Population

Wenqian Ding; Chenghan Luo; Xinru Cheng; Zanyang Shi; Mengyuan Lei; Junbo Rong; Min Song; Wenjun Cao; Jingdi Zhang; Jian Ge; Mengmeng Wang; Yixia Zhang; Peige Xia; Li Wang; Yufeng Liu; Qian Zhang

doi:10.3389/fped.2021.697690

A Good Way to Reduce Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity: Development of the ROP Model in a China Preterm Population

Front Pediatr. 2021 Jun 30:9:697690. doi: 10.3389/fped.2021.697690. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Wenqian Ding¹, Chenghan Luo², Xinru Cheng¹, Zanyang Shi¹, Mengyuan Lei³, Junbo Rong⁴, Min Song¹, Wenjun Cao¹, Jingdi Zhang¹, Jian Ge¹, Mengmeng Wang¹, Yixia Zhang⁵, Peige Xia¹, Li Wang¹, Yufeng Liu⁶, Qian Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
² Orthopeadics Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
³ Health Care Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
⁴ Ophthalmology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
⁵ Children Health Care Department, Children's Hospital Affiliated of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
⁶ Pediatrics Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Abstract

Importance: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a preventable cause of blindness in children. Without treatment, more than 45% of eyes may suffer permanent vision loss. Current ROP screening guidelines, which include a range of birth weights (BWs) and gestational ages (GAs), may require screening many low-risk preemies who might develop severe ROP. Method: All high-risk infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2017 to 2021 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Each of the 27 candidate risk factors was evaluated in univariate analysis and adjusted for known risk factors (i.e., GA and BW). The significant results were analyzed in a backward selection multivariate logistic regression model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and a nomogram were drawn. Results: The study included 2,040 infants who underwent ROP screening. The weight gain rate [OR, 2.65; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.49-1.21 ≤ 12 g/d vs. > 18 g/d; P = 0.001], blood transfusion (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.14-3.64; P = 0.017), invasive mechanical ventilation (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.15-2.66; P = 0.009) and N-terminal segment of pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) ≥ 25,000 ng/L (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.00-2.28; P = 0.048) were four new statistically independent risk factors in addition to GA and BW. The area under the curve (AUC) of the final multivariate model was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.88-0.92; P < 0.001). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings add to our understanding of ROP screening because they include all eligible infants rather than only high-risk infants, as in previous studies. Under the control of BW and GA, low weight gain rate, increased number of blood transfusion, invasive mechanical ventilation and NT-proBNP ≥ 25,000 ng/L were "new" statistically independent risk factors for ROP. The ROP risk can be calculated manually or represented by a nomogram for clinical use.

Keywords: China; NT-ProBNP; preterm; retinopathy of prematurity; screening.