Association between platelet count and neonatal acute kidney injury: a cohort study using the medical information mart for intensive care III database

A decrease in platelet count has been reported to be associated with several neonatal inflammatory diseases, including sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis; while its association with neonatal acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been reported. This study aims to explore the association between platelet count and neonatal AKI.
This was a retrospective cohort study based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. Data were extracted based on baseline characteristics, comorbidities, vital signs, laboratory parameters, and intervention measures. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between platelet count and AKI, and results were shown as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).
A total of 1,576 neonates were finally included in the analysis. After adjusting birth weight, sepsis, patent ductus arteriosus, hematocrit, percentage of neutrophils, and vasopressor use, we found that platelet count in the lowest quartile (Q1) was significantly associated with the higher odds of AKI than platelet count in the highest quartile (Q4) (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.01-2.87).
Low platelet count was associated with the high odds of AKI in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), indicating that platelet count might be a biomarker for neonatal AKI. Large-scale multicenter studies should be performed to verify the results.