The Effects of Early Enteral and Parental Nutrition on Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The management of preterm newborns must consider the severe problem of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). A systematic review has been conducted to effectively acknowledge how enteral and parenteral early nutrition affect the growth and progression of ROP. The study summarizes recent findings from various sources to give insight into the relationship between dietary practices and ROP risks. When untreated, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) may cause severe vision loss or blindness in premature newborns. The latter two phases of ROP progression are the most serious. A child's early nutrition, both orally and intravenously, significantly impacts the severity and progression of ROP. This systematic review aims to examine the evidence linking early nutrition to ROP in premature infants. The study used Embase, Scopus, and PubMed to conduct our search. ROP, premature newborns, and nutrition were keywords used to find relevant papers. Nine research studies made it through the screening process and offered important information on the impact of diet on ROP. These studies support the idea that poor nutrition is a driving force behind the onset of ROP. The risk of ROP has been associated with postnatal development, hyperglycemia, polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, and the presence of breast milk. The outlook for ROP has also been discovered to be affected by the length of time the patient has received parenteral feeding. The incidence and severity of ROP may be mitigated by providing better nutrition to premature newborns. This comprehensive study concludes that early nutrition, both enteral and parenteral, substantially influences the development and progression of ROP in premature newborns. The significance of nutrition in newborn care is highlighted by the possibility that improved dietary methods might aid in preventing and treating this vision-threatening illness.