Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology Section, King
Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Saleh Al-Alaiyan, Department of
Pediatrics (MBC-58), King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O.
Box 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia. Tel.: +966 1 442 7761; Fax: +966 1 442
7784; E-mail: alaiyan@kfshrc.edu.sa
Abstract: Objective: To examine the rate of retinopathy of prematurity in
infants with severe Rhesus Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (Rh HDN). Study design: This is a case-control study that involved 33
premature infants with severe Rh HDN were compared to another 33 premature
infants without the disease. All infants underwent routine eye examinations by
a senior ophthalmologist. Data collected from the records of all patients
included demographic data and complications of prematurity. Results: Ten and 2 infants were diagnosed to have retinopathy
of prematurity in the severe Rh HDN and the control groups, respectively, with
a statistically significant difference (P = 0.0108). There were no
statistically significant differences between patients and their controls in
terms of birth weight, gestational age, sex, duration of oxygen therapy, and
neonatal complications. A comparison between all infants with ROP and those
without ROP showed that there were statistically significant differences in
gestational age equal or less than 27 weeks' gestation, presence of patent
ductus arteriosus, respiratory distress disease, duration of oxygen therapy and
bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Another comparison was performed between infants
with retinopathy of prematurity and those without ROP in the severe Rh HDN
group showed that the number of intrauterine transfusions was more among
infants who developed ROP (P = 0.002). In addition there was no statistically
significant difference between the two groups in respect to exchange and simple
transfusions. Conclusion: Premature infants with severe Rh HDN were found to
be at risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity more than infants without
the disease.
Keywords: Premature infants, retinopathy of prematurity, rhesus isoimmunization, blood transfusion
