Exploring the Relationship Between Early Postnatal Weight Gain and the Severity of Retinopathy of Prematurity: Insights From a Tertiary Care Facility in Central India

Purpose The primary aim of this study is to ascertain whether early postnatal weight gain serves as an independent predictor for the severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants. Method In this prospective observational study, 50 preterm infants (<34 weeks GA at birth or <2000 gm BW) in the Neonatal Care Unit were screened for ROP from June 2021 to June 2022. All infants were assessed weekly for postnatal weight gain during the first six weeks of life and the results were correlated with the severity of ROP. Result Out of 50 preterm infants, 25 (50%) developed ROP, and 25 (50%) had no ROP. Type 1 ROP was identified in two (8%) preterm infants. The mean gestational age and birth weight for the ROP group were 29.98 ± 1.80 weeks (SEM 95% CI) and 1161.32 ± 340.55 gm (SEM 95% CI), which were lower than those of the No ROP group, which had 31.94 ± 1.71 weeks (SEM 95% CI) and 1359.80 ± 313.52 gm (SEM 95% CI), respectively. The change in weight (grams) between the ROP and No ROP groups was statistically significant each week, except for the first week. However, for the first six weeks, no statistical correlation was found between Type 1 ROP and Type 2 ROP regarding weight change. Conclusion This study posits that postnatal weight gain, particularly evident in the fourth week, may be a pivotal factor in predicting the onset and severity of ROP in preterm infants. Further research and analysis are required to validate these findings and enhance our understanding of the relationship between postnatal growth patterns and ROP development.