Retrospective evaluation of the relationship between retinopathy of prematurity and hematological values

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the leading causes of childhood vision loss worldwide. The aim of our study is to reveal the clinical relationship between ROP and hematological risk factors. In our study, files of 50 patients with a gestational age of ≤35 weeks or a birth weight of ≤1500 g with a diagnosis of ROP and 50 patients without a diagnosis of ROP in Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between January 1, 2014 and June 1, 2021. Reviewed retrospectively. Birth weights, weeks of gestation, how long they received oxygen, the status of receiving mechanical ventilation support, postnatal first day and 28th day hemogram results and demographic characteristics were recorded. In our study, 30% of 50 infants with ROP were found in stage 1 zone 2, 14% in stage 1 zone 3, 8% in stage 2 zone 1, 20% in stage 2 zone 2, 8% in stage 2 zone 3 and 20% were stage 3 zone 2, 7 infants had preplus disease, 3 infants had plus disease, and 1 infant developed aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity. Laser phototherapy was required in 22 (44%) of infants with ROP. Birth weights and gestational ages of the treated babies were found to be significantly lower than the untreated babies. In our study, mean hemoglobin (Hg) (p= 0.002) and red blood cell count (RBC) (p= 0.011) levels on the first day and Hb on the 28th day (p= 0.001), mean erythrocyte volume (MCV) (p= 0.027), mean it was determined that the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) (p= 0.004) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (p= 0.047) levels were found to be significantly lower in infants with ROP than in infants without ROP. As a result, it is necessary to know the risk factors of ROP and to take preventive and therapeutic measures to prevent these risk factors. In this way, we believe that the frequency of ROP can be reduced.