Evaluation of ROPScore as a predictor of retinopathy of prematurity in preterm very low birth weight: a cohort study.

• Grant number: 12/18039-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Eliane Chaves Jorge
• Grantee: Ana Carolina de Lima Augusto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a multifactorial disease, which alters the normal development of blood vessels in the retina of premature infants. It is the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in children worldwide. In recent decades, with the development of neonatology, there was also a significant increase in survival of extremely low birth weight infants. Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment at the right time can prevent blindness. The premature infants at risk for ROP need to be examined many times until the onset of illness. Early identification of infants who have the severe form of ROP provides a proactive attitude towards these infants, which may alter the final outcome of the treatment and prevention of blindness. The use of predictive scores is very important in neonatology. Several scoring systems, from the classic Apgar score, to modern illness severity scores has been used as predictors of several comorbidities. The ROPScore is a new scoring system based on cumulative risk factors to be used as a predictor of ROP, being more accurate than single risk factors, such as birth weight and gestational age to predict any stage of ROP or severe ROP in premature infants. The proposed research project is to see if the ROPScore is really useful as a predictor of ROP in a population of preterm very low birth weight and contribute in the process of internal validation of this promising tool. The research will be conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu / UNESP - Botucatu-SP.