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. 2021 Jan 13;11(1):891.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-79535-0.

Severe retinopathy of prematurity is associated with early post-natal low platelet count

Raffaele Parrozzani  1 , Elisabetta Beatrice Nacci  2 , Silvia Bini  1 , Giulia Marchione  1 , Sabrina Salvadori  3 , Daniel Nardo  3 , Edoardo Midena  4   5
Affiliations

Severe retinopathy of prematurity is associated with early post-natal low platelet count

Raffaele Parrozzani et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Pathophysiology of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) still presents a gap. Lately blood tests parameters of premature infants have been measured at different times of ROP, attempting to detect correlations with ROP development and progression. So far, very early post-natal biomarkers, predictive of ROP outcome, have not been detected. Our purpose is to evaluate, in the earliest post birth blood sample, the correlation between routinely dosed blood parameters and ROP outcome. 563 preterm babies, screened according to ROP guidelines, were included and classified in conformity with ET-ROP study in "Group 1" (ROP needing treatment), "Group 2" (ROP spontaneously regressed) and "noROP" group (never developed ROP). The earliest (within an hour after delivery) blood test parameters routinely dosed in each preterm infant were collected. Platelet count was decreased in Group 1 versus noROP group (p = 0.0416) and in Group 2 versus noROP group (p = 0.1093). The difference of thrombocytopenic infants among groups was statistically significant (p = 0.0071). CRP was higher in noROP versus all ROPs (p = 0.0331). First post-natal blood sample revealed a significant thrombocytopenia in ROP needing treatment, suggesting a role of platelets in the pathophysiology and progression of ROP, possibly considering it as a predictive parameter of ROP evolution.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of Gestational Age in NoROP preterm babies and in all ROP group (Group 1 and Group 2). ANOVA test, p < 0.0001. GA gestational age.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of birth weights in NoROP preterm babies and in all ROP group (Group 1 and Group 2). ANOVA test, p < 0.0001. Birth weights were adjusted for gestational age. BW birth weight.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of platelet count (109/L) in NoROP group and in infants who developed any form of ROP. ANOVA test, p = 0.0209. Platelet count was adjusted for BW and GA. PLT platelets, BW birth weight, GA gestational age.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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