Postnatal corticosteroids and risk of retinopathy of prematurity

Purpose: To investigate the association between postnatal steroids and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in neonates born with birth weights at the limit of viability (<500 g).

Methods: Data from the Pediatrix BabySteps Clinical Warehouse were retrospectively reviewed. The study population consisted of 1,472 neonates with birth weights of <500 g who were discharged alive from 167 NICUs between 1996 and 2013. Statistical significance for unadjusted comparisons between groups was determined using the χ(2) or t test. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds of ROP.

Results: In multivariate analysis, the odds of any ROP for steroid treated infants was 1.6 (95% CI, 1.2-2.2) compared to nontreated infants; the odds of advanced ROP was 1.7 (95% CI, 1.3-2.3).

Conclusions: In our large study cohort of critically low birth weight infants ROP was more common in neonates exposed to postnatal steroids.