Clinical Pediatrics: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

Platelet Parameters and Their Relationships with Severe Retinopathy of Prematurity in Extremely Premature Infants

Chun Chen, Zhifeng Huang, Bingzhi Yang, Xuan Wang, Meiqi Wang, Chuanzhong Yang and Xiaoyun Xiong*

Objective: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a sight-threatening disease representing one of the main disabling diseases affecting premature newborns. Accurate and timely diagnosis of the early stages of ROP is needed in order for ophthalmologists to recommend appropriate treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between platelet parameters and ROP requiring treatment in extremely premature infants.

Methods: A total of 162 extremely premature infants (born with a gestational age less than 28 weeks) were included in this retrospective study. Demographic data, platelet parameters in blood tests, and ROP results were evaluated.

Results: Patients with severe ROP had significantly lower platelet (PLT) counts and significantly higher Platelet Distribution Width (PDW) and Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) levels than those with mild ROP. The regression analyses showed significant association between MPV at postmenstrual 36 weeks and severe ROP (OR=18.551, P=0.002), PLT count at postmenstrual 36 weeks and severe ROP (OR=1.007, P=0.026). MPV higher than 10.05 fL at postmenstrual 36 weeks reflects severe ROP with a sensitivity of 76.9%, specificity of 76.2%; PLT lower than 340 × 10⁹/L at postnatal 36 weeks after birth could detect severe ROP with a sensitivity of 92.0%, a specificity of 84.0%.

Conclusion: This study found significantly positive association between MPV levels at postnatal 36 weeks and severe ROP, as well as negative association between PLT counts at postnatal 36 weeks and patients with severe ROP, suggesting that platelet activation may contribute to severe retinopathy of prematurity. Our findings indicate that a higher postnatal MPV levels (>10.05 fL) and a lower PLT counts (<340 × 10⁹/L) at postnatal 36 weeks might be a predictor for the development of severe ROP in extremely premature infants.

Published Date: 2023-03-06; Received Date: 2023-02-01