Retinopathy of prematurity risk factors: Does human milk prevent retinopathy of prematurity?

Özet

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for Retinopathy ofPrematurity (ROP) development and the potential effect of human breast milkamong these factors. For this purpose, infants admitted to a tertiary referralclinic for ROP screening and treatment between April 2013 and May 2015,were included in this retrospective study. The demographic data, accompanyingdiseases, previous surgery, type of feeding and duration of human breast milkintake were recorded. According to the ROP screening examination results,infants were divided into two groups as those with ROP (infants at any stageof ROP) and those without ROP. Relationship between the risk factors and ROPwere evaluated. The comparison of 221 infants without ROP and 99 infantswith ROP; revealed that gestational age at birth, birth weight, mechanicalventilation support, bronchopulmonary and cardiac diseases, hydrocephaly,any previous surgery, infections, steroid treatment percentages were high andhuman breast milk intake percentage was low among infants with ROP. Meanbreast feeding time for infants with ROP (3.81 ± 2.33 month) was shorterthan the infants without ROP (5.51 ± 1.43 month) (p<0.001). In logisticregression analysis, the duration of breast feeding was inversely related withROP (OR 0.744; 95% CI 0.621-0.891; p<0,001). These results suggest thatgestational age at birth and accompanying diseases are the main risk factorsfor the development of ROP. As the duration of the breast feeding of theinfants without ROP was longer than the infants with ROP; breast feedingmay have a preventive effect on ROP development.