1222 Assessment of the Contribution of Cytokine Plasmatic Levels to Detect Retinopathy of Prematurity

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the association of plasmatic levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1 β, and TNF- α with the presence of any stage of ROP or with ROP stages 3 or more in very low birth weight preterm infants with clinical early-onset sepsis. Design Methods: From July 2005 to October 2007, inborn preterm infants with birth weight ≤ 1500 grams and gestational age ≤32 weeks with clinical early-onset sepsis were included in a prospective cohort study. We excluded patients that died before 6 weeks of life, had major malformations or congenital infections. Plasma was assayed for IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1 β, and TNF- α in the same sample collected for sepsis work up. ROP was diagnosed in screening assessments in NICU. The highest stage of ROP was considered. Results: We enrolled 74 patients (mean gestational age: 29.5 ±0.2 weeks; mean birth weight:1110 ±230 grams) that were followed from birth to hospital discharge; 49 (66.2%) had no ROP and 25 (33.8%) had any stage ROP(17 had stages 1 or 2, and 8 had stage 3 or more). All median cytokine plasmatic levels were similar between no ROP and ROP patients. Only low birth weight and low gestational age were significantly associated with any stage and severe ROP. Conclusions: There was no association between altered plasmatic levels of cytokines with any stage of ROP or with ROP stages 3 or more in very low birth weight infants with early-onset sepsis. Low birth weight and gestational age were important factors for ROP occurrence.