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Published on: December 31, 2015
Comparison of Mean Platelet Counts in Preterm Infants with and without Retinopathy of Prematurity
Zi Di Lim1,2, Edwin Pheng1,2, Evelyn Tai Li Min1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Insights
Platelet counts in premature infants are not directly linked to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Lower platelet counts in ROP infants are associated with other risk factors like sepsis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Hematology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Platelets release cytokines influencing blood vessel growth.
- The role of platelets in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) remains unclear.
- ROP is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between weekly platelet counts and the development of ROP in premature infants.
- To compare platelet levels in infants with and without ROP during the first six weeks of life.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 93 premature infants (31 with ROP, 62 without ROP).
- Weekly platelet counts and risk factors were recorded.
- Repeated measures ANOVA and ANCOVA were used for statistical comparison.
Main Results:
- Initially, significant differences in weekly mean platelet counts were observed between ROP and non-ROP groups (p=0.002).
- These differences became non-significant after adjusting for confounding factors (p=0.489).
- Lower platelet counts in ROP infants correlated with sepsis, blood transfusions, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Conclusions:
- Platelet counts are not an independent risk factor for ROP.
- Observed differences in platelet counts are likely secondary to other ROP risk factors.
- Further research should focus on the multifactorial nature of ROP development.
Abstract:
Platelets are a primary source of pro- and anti-angiogenic cytokines. However, the evidence of their role in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is controversial. This retrospective study aimed to compare mean weekly platelet counts between infants with and without ROP over the first 6 weeks of life. A total of 93 infants matched by gestational age and birth weight were recruited (31 with ROP, 62 without ROP). Weekly mean platelet counts and other related risk factors were documented. The repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the repeated measure analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to compare mean platelet counts over time between the two groups, with and without adjusting for confounders. We found significant differences in the weekly mean platelet counts of infants with and without ROP over the first 6 weeks of life (p = 0.002). These differences disappeared after adjusting for covariates (p = 0.489). Lower mean platelet counts in ROP infants are not directly related to ROP, but rather to the presence of other risk factors for ROP, such as culture-proven sepsis, blood transfusion and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
