Ketorolac tromethamine doesn't reduce risk of severe ROP development

Administering ketorolac tromethamine ophthalmic solution to preterm infants does not reduce the risk of developing severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), claims a study in the Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

Dr Carmen Giannantonio et al., Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy, included 47 premature newborn infants who weighed 1000 g or less at a gestational age (GA) of 29 weeks.

Each infant was administered ketorolac tromethamine ophthalmic solution in one eye and a placebo solution in the other eye.

Out of the patients assessed, 45 infants developed ROP. Of the patients with ROP, six presented with various stages of ROP between the two eyes- four experienced a better outcome in the eye that received ketorolac tromethamine.

When evaluated according to GA the differences between ROP staging were not significant and no significant side effects were reported.