Prevalence and Risk Factors For Retinopathy of Prematurity Among Infants in Minilk-II Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study, 2020.

Abstract

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is defined as a vaso-proliferative retinal disorder that leads to childhood blindness; and persists as the main cause of preventable childhood blindness. The impact of ROP in developing countries is heavier as term infants can develop ROP because of inadequate awareness of the disease development and the risk factors. Hence, the aim of the study is assessing the prevalence and risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity in the specific study area.Methodology: An institutional based cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on 301 samples of the pediatrics out-patient eye clinic medical records, at Minilik II referral hospital, from March to April 2020. Study subjects were selected using systematic random sampling method. Data was collected from medical records of all infants visiting the hospital for eye problems from January 2018 to December 2019, using a structured check list. The collected data was entered and cleaned using Epi data 6.4.2.0 and then exported & analyzed using SPSS version 25. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was computed to distinguish the statistically significant factors. Result: The prevalence of ROP among infants in this study showed 39(13%). Of these, more than half (56.4%) were Zone II + Stage 1, followed by Zone II + stage-2, and Stage-5; 12.8% and 10.2% respectively. Birth weight, oxygen therapy and sepsis were the factors significantly associated with ROP [AOR= 39.28; 95% CI: 3.204- 481.658], [AOR= 5.317; 95% CI:1.009- 28.019] and [AOR=9.805; 95% CI:1.592- 60.388] respectively. Conclusions: the prevalence of ROP in the current study is (13%). Birth weight, oxygen therapy and sepsis were the determinant risk factors for development of ROP. Regular ANC, and maternal education may be important to reduce the risk of low-birth weight, and sepsis that results in long-term oxygen therapy leading to childhood blindness.