[Retrospective study of preterm newborn infants at the ambulatory of specialities Jardim Peri-Peri].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity preterm newborn infants, associating it with its risk factors besides comparing the incidence of refractive errors like myopia and strabismus among preterm children who developed retinopathy of prematurity (Group I) and those who did not present this retinopathy (Group II).

METHODS: A cross-sectional, retrospective and documental study of records of 147 preterm children who were examined at the 'Ambulatório de especialidades Jardim Peri Peri' (Ambulatory of Specialties Jardim Peri Peri) was used in this paper. These children were born between July 7th, 2004 and July 10th, 2008 at 'Maternidade Mário Degni' (Maternity Mário Degni). Fundus examination with escleral depression was first carried out between the 3rd and 8th weeks after birth and repeated every 1 to 4 weeks depending on the retinal imaging findings, until retina vascularization was complete or retinopathy of prematurity was present and it was followed by an annual ophthalmologic follow-up comprised of fundus examination and refraction. International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity criteria was used to classify the retinopathy of prematurity. Analysis of the whole group of preterm newborns was made and classified in group I and group II, and the incidence of Myopia and Astigmatism in each group was analyzed.

RESULTS: This casuistry showed that retinopathy of prematurity was present in 35 preterm children (23%) and 112 preterm children (77%) did not develop this retinopathy. In Group I, 34 children (97%) were classified as stage I Retinopathy and had spontaneous regression and 1 child (3%) was in stage II Retinopathy and developed a threshold disease.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity was similar to the international statistic data, since the threshold disease reached 3% of the cases. The clinical profile of group I showed that all the preterm newborn infants used oxygen support and presented Respiratory Distress syndrome, with the prevalence of stage I.