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Cohort studyJournal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2026

Association between antenatal and postnatal steroids and retinopathy of prematurity.

Farnaz Javadian, Prakesh S Shah, Wilma Hopman … Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN) Investigators

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OphthalmologyCohort study

Postnatal steroid use alone was linked to higher odds of severe, treatment-requiring retinopathy of prematurity.

Association between antenatal and postnatal steroids and retinopathy of prematurity.

Farnaz Javadian … Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN) Investigators

Journal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · 2026

Background

Steroid treatment can be crucial in treating morbidity and reducing mortality in preterm infants.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between steroid use and development of retinopathy of prematurity in Canadian neonates.

Methods

A total of 20,255 neonates met inclusion criteria, with admission to a Canadian Neonatal Network neonatal intensive care units under the gestational age of 31 weeks or <1,250 g, with retinopathy of prematurity screening.

n = 20,255 neonates

Results

postnatal steroids alone raised the odds of severe, treatment-needing eye disease

OR 3.48 (95% CI 1.94 to 6.23)

CI excludes the null - significant

“

Conclusion

Receipt of postnatal steroids was associated with type 1 or treated retinopathy of prematurity, suggesting the need for closer monitoring for retinopathy of prematurity; however, confounding by indication bias cannot be ruled out.

Association between antenatal and postnatal steroids and retinopathy of prematurity.

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