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. 2024 Mar 20:12:1371776.
doi: 10.3389/fped.2024.1371776. eCollection 2024.

Biomarkers in retinopathy of prematurity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Mariam Almutairi  1 , Katherine Chechalk  1 , Emelia Deane  1 , Rebecca Fox  1 , Ava Janes  1 , Tidgh Maguire-Henry  1 , Devin McCabe  1 , Cole O'Connor  1 , Joseph Quirk  1 , Evan Swan  1 , Katherine White  1 , Kathryn McCreery  2 , Eman Isweisi  1 , Philip Stewart  1 , Aoife Branagan  1   3 , Edna F Roche  1   4   5 , Judith Meehan  1   4   6 , Eleanor J Molloy  1   3   4   5   6   7   8
Affiliations

Biomarkers in retinopathy of prematurity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Mariam Almutairi et al. Front Pediatr. .

Abstract

Aim: Retinopathy of prematurity is a significant global cause of childhood blindness. This study aims to identify serum biomarkers that are associated with the development of ROP.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Three databases were searched (Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science) from 2003 to March 2023. Only studies investigating serum biomarker levels in preterm infants (<37 weeks gestation) were included.

Results: Meta-analysis suggests that low serum IGF-1 levels have a strong association with the development of ROP [SMD (95% CI) of -.46 [-.63, -.30], p < .001]. Meta-analysis suggests that higher serum glucose levels were associated with the development of ROP [SMD (95% CI) of 1.25 [.94, 1.55], p < .001]. Meta-analysis suggests that thrombocytopenia is associated with the development of ROP [SMD (95% CI) of -.62 [-.86, -.37], p < .001].

Conclusion: Low levels of serum IGF-1, high levels of serum glucose and thrombocytopenia all appear to have the strongest association with the development of ROP out of the 63 biomarkers investigated in this review. These associations highlight their potential use as diagnostic biomarkers in ROP, though further research is needed to establish the exact relationship between these biomarkers and disease pathogenesis.

Keywords: biomarker; cytokine; growth factors; metabolite; noncoding RNA; retinopathy of prematurity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Resulting PRISMA flow of the systematic literature search strategy.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of the standard mean difference (SMD) of IGF blood levels in neonates with and without ROP; and 95% confidence interval based on random effect model in meta-analysis.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plots of the standard mean difference (SMD) of VEGF blood levels in neonates with and without ROP; and 95% confidence interval based on random effect model in meta-analysis. The midpoint of each segment, the segment estimating the SMD, and 95% confidence interval in each study are shown Diamond mark overall SMD based on results of the meta-analysis.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Funnel charts for studies included in meta-analysis for (A) IGF-1 and (B) VEGF are shown.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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