Cord blood cytokines as early predictors for retinopathy of prematurity

BackgroundRetinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of childhood blindness. Since ROP typically presents no clinical symptoms or signs in early infancy, timely screening of preterm infants is essential for diagnosis. However, fundus examinations cannot always be performed at the optimal time. Elevated cord blood cytokines may help identify infants at higher risk for ROP development, enabling earlier screening and potentially predicting the need for treatment. A deeper understanding of clinical risk factors and biomarkers of ROP could aid in preventing abnormal retinal vascularization and its complications. The study aimed to evaluate the predictive efficacy of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in early ROP development and treatment necessity.MethodsThis prospective study included 88 preterm neonates. Cord blood samples were collected immediately after birth, and timely fundus screening for ROP was conducted. Selected perinatal risk factors were retrospectively analyzed. Cord blood cytokine levels were correlated with ROP development and treatment requirements.ResultsAmong the 88 preterm neonates, 33 (37.5%) developed ROP. The key finding was that infants with ROP had significantly higher cord blood levels of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α compared to those without ROP.ConclusionCord blood cytokines show promise as early biomarkers for predicting ROP development and the need for treatment.