TITLE:
Preventative Strategies in the Management of ROP: A Review of Literature
AUTHORS:
Irina Livshitz
KEYWORDS:
Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), Proliferative Retinopathy, Neonatology
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.5 No.2,
May
20,
2015
ABSTRACT:
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a
potentially blinding eye disorder that primarily affects premature infants
weighing 1250 grams or less that are born before 31 weeks of gestation. It is
one of the most common causes of visual loss in childhood and can lead to
lifelong vision impairment and blindness. Certain strategies for prevention
have been confirmed by numerous trials, namely the role of oxygen therapy as an
independent risk factor for the development of ROP and the benefits of strict
control of premature infant oxygen saturations in the NICU. There is valuable
data that supports use of other approaches, such as beta adrenergic blockade
and IGF-1 supplementation, for which clinical trials are still in the works to
establish clear protocols for their clinical use. Supplementation with vitamin
A, omega-3 fatty acids, and inositol are all exciting arenas for further trials
as preliminary data shows promising results in ROP prevention. It has also been
shown that the benefit of vitamin E is not worth the increased incidence of NEC
and sepsis as potential side effects. Furthermore, while it was an interesting
idea to use the chelator D-penicillamine as a preventative strategy for ROP, the
results of multiple trials seemed to be equivocal. This brief review is not
all-inclusive, as there are many more modes of prevention currently being
studied.