Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in a Developing Economy with Improving Health Care

Ademola-Popoola, Dupe S; Oluleye, Tunji S

doi:10.1007/s40135-017-0129-0

Cited by 8 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Increasing neonatal survival rates as a result of improvement in care have been suggested as the reason for the apparent increase in incidence of ROP. 9,11 Nevertheless, the increasing incidence of ROP is a cause for grave concern as it could easily translate to an increase in the incidence of childhood blindness in the country. When it is not detected and treated, ROP may progress to advanced disease that often results in incurable blindness.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, Nigeria has one of the highest rates of preterm delivery in the world. 9 As at 2018, the World Health Organization ranked Nigeria as the third among the 10 countries with the highest number of preterm deliveries, estimated at 773,600 preterm births annually. 23 This makes ROP screening programs to be of paramount importance in the country.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The challenges encountered are similar to some of the challenges reported by other programs. 9 Surmounting some of these challenges would involve solutions such as parental counselling and education, assigning a specific person to the role of coordinating the identification and screening of infants at risk, as well the use of mobile phone retinal imaging for ROP screening. 9,10,19 It is also expedient to incorporate information on documented risk factors from developed countries in parental and neonatal practitioners' education in order to forestall the likely upsurge in incidence of ROP associated with improved preterm survival as this evolves in our low resource setting.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2 Previously, it was thought that ROP was rare in African children. [9][10][11] This is probably because there were no screening programs for ROP in the past and the early studies on blindness in African children did not find any children that were blind from ROP. 12,13 A few recent studies, however, have demonstrated its occurrence among African children 11 , and this is thought to be due to relative improvement in the survival of preterm babies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Retinopathy of prematurity in a tertiary facility: an initial report of a screening programme

Olusanya¹,

Oluleye²,

Tongo³

et al. 2020

Nig. J. Paed.

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Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening in Nigeria is at a nascent stage and at the moment there are no National guidelines for ROP screening in Nigeria. Thus it is desirable for screening programs to report findings amongst screened preterm infants in order to facilitate the development of national ROP screening criteria and guidelines. The aim of this report is to describe the frequency, severity and risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) among preterm and very low-birth-weight babies screened within the first year of initiating an ROP screening program at a Nigerian tertiary facility. Methods: A cross-sectional study of infants born at less than 34 weeks gestational age; or with birth weight less than 1500g between May 2016 and May 2017. ROP screening examinations were performed by ophthalmologists with the use of an indirect ophthalmoscope, after pupillary dilation, in collaboration with the neonatology team. Information on gestational age at birth, birth weight, oxygen therapy and presence of other risk factors were recorded and analyzed. Results: A total of 74 infants were screened during the period. There were 36 (48.6%) males. Mean gestational age at birth was 29.6 (±2.35) weeks. Mean birth weight was 1.26 (±0.27) kg with a range of 800 to 1950g. ROP was detected in 9 (12.2%) infants. Two (22.2%) of these had Threshold ROP. There was no significant difference between the mean birth weight and mean gestational age of the infants who had ROP compared to those without ROP. The two infants with Threshold ROP were treated with intravitreal Bevazicumab and had regression of ROP. Conclusion: Retinopathy of prematurity was diagnosed in at risk infants in this facility. There is, therefore, a need to establish ROP screening programs in all neonatal units across the country. In addition, established programs need to evaluate their screening criteria with a view towards developing country-specific screening guidelines. Keywords: Retinopathy; Prematurity; Preterm; Neonates; Nigeria; Africa

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Retinopathy of prematurity in a tertiary facility: an initial report of a screening programme

Olusanya¹,

Oluleye²,

Tongo³

et al. 2020

Nig. J. Paed.

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“…[3][4][5] At least 50,000 children are blind due to ROP throughout the world. [5][6][7] The prevalence and contribution of ROP to causes of blindness in children in most parts of Nigeria is yet to be determined 7 but pockets of studies show it is already happening in some areas, 8 and not yet a significant problem in others. 3 This may therefore be following a regional pattern as described in other climes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nigerian neonatologists perception and experience with retinopathy of prematurity

Adio

Aliyu

Balarabe

et al. 2021

J. Public Health Afr.

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Background: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is an avoidable condition that affects premature infants exposed to oxygen stresses at or soon after birth. In low- and middle-income countries, like Nigeria, neonatal mortality rates are high and very few infants live to develop ROP. With recent better care, ROP is now being diagnosed. Objective: This study aimed to characterize what Nigerian neonatologists understand about ROP. Methods: At a joint meeting of Nigerian pediatric ophthalmologists and neonatologists in Kebbi State held 26-29 July 2018, questionnaires collected attendees’ perspective and experience with ROP including causes, risk factors and experiences. Results: Fifty-one neonatologists out of 71 returned a completed questionnaire (response rate: 71.8%). The male:female ratio was 1:1.8, and approximately 40% were aged 41-50 years (n=20, 39.22%). Only 3 (6.39%) had experience managing infants below 500g that survived. A majority managed babies with a mean weight of 913g ± 300.37 and age of 27.87 weeks ±2.37. Most had no access to oxygen monitors (n=39,78%). Most had 10 babies to one monitor and used average settings of 90- 95%. One third had seen a case of ROP (n=15,29.41%). Only 5.88% (n=3) were unaware of uncontrolled oxygen use as a risk factor. Only 4 (8.89%) had a functional screening team. None were aware of local screening guidelines. Conclusions: Regular educational programs, collaborative clinical presentations and webinars about ROP targeted at the neonatologists and parents, including establishment of screening programs across country will likely help reduce the burden of ROP blindness in Nigeria.

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Epidemiology of ROP update – Africa is the new frontier

Gilbert

Malik

Nahar³

et al. 2019

Seminars in Perinatology

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Several epidemics of blindness due to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) have been described, with the most recent (the third) occurring in middle income countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe initially, and more recently in the more advanced economies in Asia. In these settings, which are characterized by variation in the quality of neonatal care and inadequate coverage of ROP screening and treatment, larger, more mature infants are affected as well as extremely preterm infants. In 2010 the annual incidence of blindness and visual impairment from ROP globally was estimated to be 32,300, with the lowest incidence in sub-Saharan countries. However, ROP is likely to become an increasingly important cause of blindness in children in sub-Saharan Africa as neonatal care expands unless policies and programmes for control are included at the outset.

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Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in a Developing Economy with Improving Health Care

Cited by 8 publications

References 19 publications

Retinopathy of prematurity in a tertiary facility: an initial report of a screening programme

Retinopathy of prematurity in a tertiary facility: an initial report of a screening programme

Nigerian neonatologists perception and experience with retinopathy of prematurity

Epidemiology of ROP update – Africa is the new frontier

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