NPOG 2007 Abstract skabelon/template

Foredragsholder / Presenter

Navn / Name :Lena Jacobson

Institution: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm and Astrid Lindgren Children´s Hospital

Afdeling / Institution for Clinical Neuroscience

E-mail: lena.jacobson@karolinska.se

Medforfattere / Co-authors:

Navn / Name: Eva Horemuzova

Institution: Karolinska. Institutet, Stockholm and Astrid Lindgren Children´s Hospital

Afdeling / Department: Department of Women and Child Health

Navn / Name: Gunnar Lindgärde

Institution: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm and S:t Erik Eye Hospital

Afdeling / Department: Institution for Clinical Neuroscience

Navn / Name: Hannah   Hammarén

Institution: Neuroscience and physiology

Afdeling / Department: Paediatric Ophthalmology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University

Navn / Name: Anna-Lena Hård

Institution: Neuroscience and physiology

Afdeling / Department: Paediatric Ophthalmology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University

Navn / Name: Ann Hellström

Institution: Neuroscience and physiology

Afdeling / Department: Paediatric Ophthalmology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University

ABSTRACT

Every third boy born at gestational age < 25+0 weeks develops visual impairment

Objective : To characterise the frequency and treatment of ROP and visual outcome, with respect to gender, in two population based groups of children born at a gestational age < 25+0 weeks.

Participants : All children born 1990 to 2002 with gestational age < 25+0 weeks in the Stockholm and Göteborg areas surviving to 2½ years of age were included in the present study (n= 115).

Methods and main outcome measures : Children were identified through the Swedish medical birth registry. All neonatal records were scrutinised regarding ROP outcome and treatment. Visual outcome was obtained from records from the departments of paediatric ophthalmology, child care centres and school health care centres. Visual impairment was defined as visual acuity £ 0.3.

Results : In total 97% developed ROP, 65% of the children (77% of the boys and 53% of the girls) were treated for ROP. Eighteen % (21/115) had visual impairment (31% of the boys and 11% of the girls).

Conclusion : Almost all children born with a gestational age < 25+0 weeks developed ROP and the majority of them were treated. The risk for visual impairment was three times higher for the boys as compared to the girls. We know no other paediatric population in the industrialised world with as high risk for visual impairment. The importance of prevention and need for long term habilitation is of utmost importance.