Affiliations: Neonatology Service, Department of Pediatrics,
Clinical Hospital of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain | Ophthalmology Service, Clinical Hospital of the
University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Note: [] Corresponding author: Alejandro Pérez-Muñuzuri,
C/Restollal n°11, portal B, 3°G, 15702 Santiago de
Compostela, Spain. E-mail: apmunuzuri@yahoo.es
Abstract: Introduction: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the primary cause
of blindness in infancy in industrialized countries. There is currently no
effective method for the prediction or early diagnosis of the disease. Objective: To test the effectiveness of transocular Doppler measurement of
blood flow in the central retinal artery as a method of screening for ROP. Materials and methods: A prospective ultrasonographic study was conducted on
38 premature infants with birth weight less than 1500 g and/or born at 32 weeks
of gestation or less. Transocular Doppler measurements of blood flow in the
central retinal artery were performed on all subjects at weekly intervals from
birth to 40 weeks corrected gestational age. Mean readings were calculated for
both eyes of each subject. Results: A total of 13 (34%) of subjects
developed some form of ROP, as determined by ophthalmic examination. All of
those scored significantly lower (p< 0.05) in the following: birth weight
(mean 1127 g vs 1492 g), length (mean 36.77 cm vs 39.49 cm), cranial
circumference (26.15 cm vs 28.36 cm) and gestational age at birth (29.4 weeks
vs 30.8 wk). Risk factors that were significantly associated with ROP included
bronchopulmonary dysplasia, treatment with erythropoietin, and sepsis (p<
0.05). Mean values of the Doppler measurements showed no statistically
significant differences in blood flow in the central retinal artery between
subjects with or without ROP, as a function of either corrected gestational age
or age post-partum in weeks. Neither were any differences in blood flow
recorded for the onset of 'plus disease'. Conclusion: Doppler
ultrasonography of the central artery of the retina is not an effective method
for the early diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity.
Keywords: Retinopathy of prematurity, Doppler, ultrasonography, central retinal artery, screening
