The medical records of all premature infants born at ¡Ü35 weeks' gestation and/or birth weight of ¡Ü1500 g diagnosed with both any stage of ROP and any grade of IVH, with or without secondary increased ICP (defined as ¡Ý20 cm H2O) were retrospectively reviewed. Adjusting for birth weight and gestational age, we compared time to normalization of increased ICP in infants treated for increased ICP only with that of infants treated for both increased ICP and ROP.
A total of 21 infants were included. ICP levels normalized at a significantly older postnatal age in infants treated for both increased ICP and ROP (100 days) than in those treated for elevated ICP alone (45 days), after we adjusted for the results for birth weight and gestational age (P = 0.049).
Earlier control of increased ICP secondary to IVH may reduce the need for ROP treatment in premature babies initially diagnosed with both conditions.