Abstract
We conducted a 10-year review of ROP outcomes at the neonatal intensive care unit at Royal Sussex County Hospital in East Sussex County, a level 3 NICU and paediatric surgical centre.
Data was collected retrospectively using BadgerNet system and case notes of babies meeting screening criteria for ROP between January 2011 and December 2021. We compared our results to the national prospective surveillance study of infants treated for ROP in the United Kingdom.
The incidence of ROP requiring treatment was 2.4% (31/1288,95% CI 1.56% to 3.24%), lower than nationwide average of 4% (327/8112, 95% CI 3.6% to 4.5%). All these babies were treated with laser and there were no babies with aggressive posterior ROP. The median GA of babies needing treatment was 24 weeks (IQR 23.5 to 24.5) lower than the nationwide median GA of 25 weeks (IQR 24.3–26.1). Similarly, the median BW of babies treated was also lower, 600g (IQR 548.5-740.5) compared to nationwide median BW of 706g (IQR 620–821).
Our study found a lower incidence of ROP requiring treatment in Southeast England. We report these results in the context of a level 3 NICU with nationally lower complications and mortality rate. Moreover, the findings demonstrate a higher threshold for treatment which favours the use of laser over anti-VEGF with its advantages of not having to monitor discharged babies with persistent avascular retina.
The low incidence of ROP babies treated reflects the high standards of neonatal cate in the unit and the preference for laser treatment.