Retinopathy of prematurity in triplets - Indian twin city ROP study report number 12

Manjushree Bhate; Komal Agarwal; Padmaja Kumari Rani; Akash Belenje; Deepika C Parmeshwarappa; Subhadra Jalali

doi:10.4103/IJO.IJO_1700_23

Retinopathy of prematurity in triplets - Indian twin city ROP study report number 12

Indian J Ophthalmol. 2024 Apr 16. doi: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_1700_23. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Manjushree Bhate¹, Komal Agarwal², Padmaja Kumari Rani², Akash Belenje², Deepika C Parmeshwarappa², Subhadra Jalali^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Jasti V. Ramanamma Childrens' Eye Care Centre, Child Sight Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
² Srimati Kanuri Santhamma Center for Vitreoretinal Diseases, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

PMID: 38623709
DOI: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_1700_23

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) amongst surviving triplets.

Methods: Records of preterm babies born to mothers with triplet pregnancies were retrieved from our Indian twin city ROP study database between 1 Jan 2000 and 31 Dec 2020 and analyzed.

Results: 253 surviving triplet babies born to 108 mothers were evaluated. 48 out of 108 (44%) mothers received treatment for infertility. Data was available and analyzed for 242 babies (484 eyes). Mean gestational age was 31.76 ± 3.74 weeks (26- 38 weeks). The mean birth weight was 1.44 ± 0.37 kg (0.57-2.76 kg). At the first screening, incomplete vascularization was noted in 67% (131 babies;322 eyes) of which ROP was diagnosed in 14% (28 babies; 56 eyes). Among them, only 18 babies (53%) were the smallest birth weight babies in each of the triplet sets. Treatment with laser or bevacizumab was performed in 14 babies (5.8%), one eye of one baby additionally needed vitreoretinal surgical intervention. Good anatomical outcomes in terms of regression of ROP without sequelae were achieved in all babies.

Conclusion: The present study reveals low incidence and favorable outcomes of ROP in triplet pregnancies in a large cohort of babies from a middle-income country. Our cohort did not show any difference in the treatment-requiring ROP among the larger or smaller birth weight babies of the same gestational age. In multiple pregnancies, gestational age remains a critical factor for ROP development; however, this does not necessitate modifying screening or treatment criteria in such triplet pregnancies.