Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit, University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium
Note: [] Correspondence: Karel Allegaert, M.D., Ph.D, Department of
Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital, Herestraat 49,
3000 Leuven, Belgium. Tel.: +32 16 343850; Fax: +32 16 343209; E-mail:
karel.allegaert@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
Abstract: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a multifactorial disease with
risk factors related to immaturity (gestational age, birth weight) and disease
severity. We aimed to validate the use of peak creatinaemia as risk factor for
prethreshold ROP in a recently treated cohort following its association in two
historical cohort studies. Data on clinical characteristics and peak creatinine
were collected in ELBW (extreme low birth weight, < 1000 g) infants admitted
between 2007–2011. Data in cases who developed prethreshold ROP were
compared to controls (Mann Whitney U, Chi square) and significant risk factors
were entered in a logistic regression model. Based on 123 patients of whom 24
developed threshold ROP, gestational age, birth weight and indicators of
respiratory disease were significant risk factors, while peak creatinine was
not longer a significant risk factor for prethreshold ROP. Immaturity became
the dominant risk factor. Creatinine is no longer a biomarker to develop
prethreshold ROP in our unit, likely due to the overall decreased incidence of
ROP in our unit. This illustrates the need to validate biomarkers (e.g.
creatinemia) in consecutive cohorts within the same unit and in other units
before such biomarkers can be considered for secondary ROP prevention
strategies.
Keywords: Retinopathy of prematurity, creatinine, biomarker, risk factors, ELBW infants
