Abstract
Purpose :
to retrospectively evaluate in preterm infants undergoing ROP screening, the possible correlations between some early, routinely dosed, blood test parameters and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Methods :
preterm infants with gestational age (GA)≤30 weeks and/or birth weight (BW)≤1500 g and instable cases, hospitalized at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Padova from 2012 to 2018 were recruited. The first post natal blood sample of each infant was collected for analysis, in order to avoid confounding factors. The blood parameters considered were: platelets count, and the count of white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes, and Reactive Protein C (CRP) concentration (mg/L). The ratios between neutrophils/lymphocytes, lymphocytes/monocytes, and platelets/lymphocytes were also calculated. All infants were classified into 3 groups according to maximum ROP stage reached (noROP, Type 1 ROP and Type 2 ROP groups). All blood parameters were correlated to final ROP stage.
Results :
563 infants were included. Mean GA was 28.72 ± 2.6 (22.6 – 35.6), mean BW was 1083.8 ± 329.6 (425.0 g – 1985.0 g). 206 (36.6%) infants developed any ROP; of those, 52 developed Type 1 ROP, requiring treatment (9.2 % of total and 25.2% of all ROPs). Platelet count was decreased in Type 1 versus noROP group (p=0.0416). A reduction trend of platelets was found in Type 2 ROP versus noROP group. A significantly higher number of thrombocytopenic (<100*109) infants was found in Type 1 ROP compared to other groups (p=0.0071). CRP showed an increased value in noROP versus all ROPs (p=0.0331).
Conclusions :
The first post natal blood parameters revealed a significantly reduced platelet count in preterm infants developing Type 1 ROP compared to noROP group. These data seems to suggest an important role of platelets in the pathophysiology of ROP and its progression. Early platelet count may be considered one of the possible predictive parameters of ROP staging. The role platelets in ROP should be further investigated.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.