Evaluation of the prognostic nutritional index in preterm infants: A retrospective study examining its relationship with retinopathy of prematurity and clinical risk factors

Background/AimThis study evaluated the development and stage of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), clinical risk factors and prognosis, as well as the nutritional index (PNI) values obtained in the early and late periods.Materials and MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 189 premature infants screened in the neonatal intensive care unit. Two critical time points were determined in the study: the first 24 h postnatally, reflecting the antenatal period (early period), and PMA 34-36 weeks (late period), which is a critical transitional phase both pathophysiologically and clinically, were used to determine lymphocyte and albumin results for PNI values. Statistical analyses were employed.ResultsPNI values in the ROP group were significantly lower than those in the non-ROP group in both the early and late periods (<i>p</i> < 0.001). In subgroup analyses, PNI levels were lowest in cases requiring treatment. Furthermore, PNI values were significantly lower in cases requiring transfusion, surfactant therapy, necrotizing enterocolitis, patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular hemorrhage, postnatal steroids, and mechanical ventilation. In the multivariate analyses, birth weight and early albumin levels were identified as independent predictors, while PNI values were not an independent predictor. In the ROC analysis, PNI showed moderate discriminatory ability, whereas gestational age and birth weight demonstrated higher discriminatory ability.ConclusionThe development and severity of ROP in preterm newborns were found to be substantially correlated with PNI values. Based on multivariate analyses, PNI can be considered as a complementary indicator reflecting clinical fragility rather than an independent predictor for ROP.