Association between low fatty acid levels and platelet count in infants with Retinopathy of Prematurity

Numerous factors are involved in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and these differ between preterm infants and fetuses. Sight-threatening pathological retinal neovascularisation may occur during the second phase, due to increased expression of pro-angiogenic factors like vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). Low platelet counts and thrombocytopenia are independent risk factors for ROP. Experimental mice studies have suggested that platelets release stimuli that cause downregulation of retinal VEGF-A and supress neovascularisation (1).