LACK OF ASSOCIATION OF GLUCOCORTICOID THERAPY AND RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY

Objective: To determine if glucocorticoid therapy alters the severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) Design: Retrospective survey. Setting: Tertiary intensive care nursery. Patients: One hundred forty-seven surviving infants with birth weight of 1.25 kg or less born July 1990 through January 1993. Outcome Measures: Maximum stage of retinopathy and the need for cryosurgery. Results: Using logistic regression, neither corticosteroid exposure nor total corticosteroid dose was associated with either ROP greater than stage 2 or cryosurgery. The significant predictors of ROP greater than stage 2 were birth weight and the duration of supplemental oxygen therapy. The only significant risk factor for cryosurgery was gestational age. Conclusions: No association between corticosteroid therapy and the severity of ROP was found after controlling for traditional risk factors such as birth weight, gestational age, and duration of supplemental oxygen therapy.