Evaluating the effectiveness of inflammatory markers in pediatric open globe injury using a modified pediatric ocular trauma score

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess pediatric patients with Open Globe Injury (OGI) using the Modified Pediatric Ocular Trauma Score (MPOTS) and to investigate the correlation between Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte ratio (PLR) parameters with the prognosis determined by MPOTS. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we included pediatric patients with OGI. Recorded data encompassed demographic details, injury type, duration from injury to surgery, complete ophthalmological examinations, initial and final visual acuities, anterior segment and fundus findings, and NLR and PLR values. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their MPOTS scores: Grade I (≤30 points), indicating high risk; Grade II (35-65 points), moderate risk; and Grade III (≥70 points), low risk. Differences between categories were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: The study comprised 22 patients. In Category I, the duration from injury to surgery was longer (p=0.018). The most common injury type in this category was globe rupture, occurring in four (50%) patients, with a significant difference noted between the groups (p=0.041). Category I exhibited lower final visual acuity and higher NLR and PLR values compared to the other categories (p<0.050 for all values). Both NLR and PLR demonstrated significant negative correlations with MPOTS (respectively, r=-0.869, p<0.001; r=-0.809, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The Modified Pediatric Ocular Trauma Score is an effective and practical method for assessing the prognosis of pediatric patients with Open Globe Injury (OGI). Furthermore, there is evidence indicating a negative correlation between MPOTS and the increase in NLR and PLR values that often follows OGI in this patient population.