Search Results

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess the sensitivity and specificity of the retinopathy of prematurity score (ROPScore) and weight, insulin-like growth factor-1, retinopathy of prematurity algorithm in predicting the risk of developing severe retinopathy of prematurity (prethreshold type 1) in a sample of preterm infants in Brazil.
METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medical records of preterm infants (n=288) with birth weight of ≤1500 g and/or gestational age of 23-32 weeks in a neonatal unit in Southern Brazil from May 2013 to December 2020 (92 months).
RESULTS: The incidence of confirmed severe retinopathy of prematurity was 6.6%. ROPScore showed a 100% sensitivity, 44.6% specificity (95% confidence interval [CI] 38.7-50.6), 11.3% positive predictive value (95% CI 6.5-16.1), and 100% negative predictive value in predicting severe retinopathy of prematurity. The weight, insulin-like growth factor-1, retinopathy of prematurity algorithm demonstrated a 78.9% sensitivity (95% CI 60.6-97.3), 51.3% specificity (95% CI 45.3-57.3), 10.3% positive predictive value (95% CI 5.3-15.2), and 97.2% negative predictive value (95% CI 94.5-99.9).
CONCLUSION: ROPScore identified all patients at risk for severe retinopathy of prematurity. These findings support incorporating ROPScore into Brazilian guidelines to optimize retinopathy of prematurity screening and reduce unnecessary ophthalmologic examinations. Weight, insulin-like growth factor-1, retinopathy of prematurity's suboptimal performance in this Brazilian sample highlights the need for country-specific algorithm adjustments.

Keywords: Retinopathy of prematurity; ROPScore, WINROP; Prediction algorithm; Infant, premature

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical results of cryopreserved amniotic membrane transplantation as a treatment option for refractory neurotrophic corneal ulcers.
METHODS: This prospective study included 11 eyes of 11 patients who underwent amniotic membrane transplantation for the treatment of refractory neurotrophic corneal ulcers at Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná, in the city of Curitiba, from May 2015 to July 2021. Patients underwent different surgical techniques in which the amniotic membrane was applied with the epithelium facing upward to promote corneal re-epithelialization.
RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 60 years (range, 34-82 years), and 64% were men. The predominant etiology of corneal ulcers was herpes zoster (45% of cases). Approximately one-third of the patients (27%) were chronically using hypotensive eye drops, and more than half (54%) had previously undergone penetrating corneal transplantation. At the time of amniotic membrane transplantation, 18% of the eyes had corneal melting, 9% had corneal perforation, and the others had corneal ulceration without other associated complications (73%). The time between clinical diagnosis and surgical treatment ranged from 9 days to 2 years. The corrected visual acuity was worse than 20/400 in 90% of the patients preoperatively, with improvement in 36% after 3 months of the procedure, worsening in 18% and remaining stable in 36%. Of the patients, 81% complained of preoperative pain, and 66% of them reported total symptom relief after the surgical procedure. In one month, 54.6% of the patients presented a closure of epithelial defect, and half of the total group evolved with corneal thinning. The failure rate was 45.5% of the cases.
CONCLUSION: Cryopreserved amniotic membrane transplantation can be considered a good alternative for treating refractory neurotrophic corneal ulcers, as it resulted in significant improvement in pain (66%) and complete epithelial closure (60%) in many patients at 1 month postoperatively. Notably, the high failure rate highlights the need for further studies to identify patient- and ulcer-related factors that may influence the outcomes of this procedure.

Keywords: Amnion/transplantation; Corneal ulcer; Anterior eye segment; Keratitis