International Journal of Ophthalmology · Published 2026-07-16 · DOI 10.18240/ijo.2026.08.16
Southern Isabela Medical Center, Santiago City 3311, Isabela, Region II, Philippines, Roland Joseph D. Tan, Adriel Vincent R. Te, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Davao City 8000, Davao del Sur, Region XI, Philippines, Esther Carmen Arvella G. Ereño, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Davao City 8000, Davao del Sur, Region XI, Philippines, Redentor Caesar G. Gonzales, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Davao City 8000, Davao del Sur, Region XI, Philippines, Jewel Faith Flores-Anotado, Western Visayas Medical Center, Iloilo City 5000, Iloilo, Region VI, Philippines, Christopher Sebastian J. Uy, Western Visayas Medical Center, Iloilo City 5000, Iloilo, Region VI, Philippines, Knedrick Kevin Macalma, Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Batac 2906, Ilocos Norte, Region I, Philippines, Jennifer Joy Y. Santos-Rayos, Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Batac 2906, Ilocos Norte, Region I, Philippines, Lorenz Jacob D. Mangahas, Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, San Fernando City 2500, La Union, Region I, Philippines, Karen R. Cabrera, Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, San Fernando City 2500, La Union, Region I, Philippines, Lyka R. Agcaoili, Southern Isabela Medical Center, Santiago City 3311, Isabela, Region II, Philippines, Clyde Joshua A. Ecija, Southern Isabela Medical Center, Santiago City 3311, Isabela, Region II, Philippines, Tamilyn Chelsea C. Laddaran, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City 1112, National Capital Region, Philippines, Kristine D. Corpus-Velasquez, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City 1112, National Capital Region, Philippines, Jose Melvin Jimenez IV, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City 1112, National Capital Region, Philippines, Kyla S. Ilagan, Eastern Visayas Medical Center, Tacloban City 6500, Leyte, Region VIII, Philippines, Ian J. Daguman, Eastern Visayas Medical Center, Tacloban City 6500, Leyte, Region VIII, Philippines, Xavier Daryl L. Martinez, Region 1 Medical Center, Dagupan City 2400, Pangasinan, Region I, Philippines, Almira A. Manzano, Region 1 Medical Center, Dagupan City 2400, Pangasinan, Region I, Philippines, Ron Joseph R. Moreno, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, Cagayan de Oro City 9000, Misamis Oriental, Region X, Philippines, Gabrielle S. Evangelista, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, Cagayan de Oro City 9000, Misamis Oriental, Region X, Philippines, Kanja Drisa Taclobao, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Baguio City 2600, Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines, Marie Christine T. Marcelo-Tan, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Baguio City 2600, Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines, Christian Q. Castillo, Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center, Balanga City 2100, Bataan, Region III, Philippines, Manuel Benjamin B. Ibañez IV, Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center, Balanga City 2100, Bataan, Region III, Philippines, Maijann D. Precia, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, City of Manila 1003, National Capital Region, Philippines, Patricia S. Tacata, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, City of Manila 1003, National Capital Region, Philippines, Robert Kelvin Carbonell, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Tuguegarao City 3500, Cagayan, Region II, Philippines, Dominico Carlo S. Dator, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Tuguegarao City 3500, Cagayan, Region II, Philippines, Jemeson M. Tiburan, Ospital ng Makati, Taguig City 1642, National Capital Region, Philippines, Rachelle G. Anzures, Ospital ng Makati, Taguig City 1642, National Capital Region, Philippines, Niño Enrico D. Marohom, Amai Pakpak Medical Center, Marawi City 9700, Lanao del Sur, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Philippines, Lois Agnes E. Lumontod, Amai Pakpak Medical Center, Marawi City 9700, Lanao del Sur, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Philippines, Margarita E. Quitos, Amai Pakpak Medical Center, Marawi City 9700, Lanao del Sur, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Philippines, Beltran Alexis A. Aclan, National Children’s Hospital, Quezon City 1113, National Capital Region, Philippines, Angeline Therese Y. Uy, National Children’s Hospital, Quezon City 1113, National Capital Region, Philippines, Claire Baldovino Barja, National Children’s Hospital, Quezon City 1113, National Capital Region, Philippines, Van Alvin Gambalan, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, Manila 1004, National Capital Region, Philippines, Jona May S. Ongkeko, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, Manila 1004, National Capital Region, Philippines, Gabriel L. Villanoy, Cebu Velez General Hospital, Cebu City 6000, Cebu, Region VII, Philippines
AIM: To determine the clinico-epidemiologic profile of premature infants diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and treated for type 1, severe, and aggressive (TOSA) ROP in the different regions of the Philippines. METHODS: A multiregional ambispective cohort study of premature infants (<37wk gestational age) referred for ROP screening across 20 hospitals in 12 Philippine regions between January 2024 and September 2025 was conducted. Demographic, neonatal, and maternal risk factors were analyzed. Outcomes were compared between National Capital Region (NCR) and non-NCR cohorts. RESULTS: Of 2085 referred infants, 1900 premature infants were included. Mean gestational age was 32.34±2.31wk; mean birthweight was 1593±439 g. ROP developed in 483 infants (25%), of whom 177 (37%) progressed to TOSA ROP. Lower gestational age, lower birthweight, male gender, and packed red blood cell transfusion were significantly associated with ROP development, whereas sepsis and oxygen supplementation were not. Among TOSA ROP cases, 87% received treatment, most commonly anti-vasular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection (46%) or laser photocoagulation (24%). At the last follow-up, 34% of treated infants had not reached full regression or retinal maturity. ROP incidence was higher in NCR (32%) than in Region I and Cordillera Administrative Region (8%, P=0.001), Region III (13%, P=0.005), and Region XI (14%, P=0.001), but lower than Region VI (55%, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Lower gestational age and birthweight, male, and packed red blood cell transfusion are risk factors of ROP development. This study also provides the first multiregional multicenter data on ROP in the Philippines, demonstrating substantial incidence and progression beyond NCR.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Philippines, S., Tan, R., Te, A., et al. (2026). Risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity development and progression in the Philippines. International Journal of Ophthalmology. https://doi.org/10.18240/ijo.2026.08.16