Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a complex neonatal disorder with multiple contributing factors. In this paper we have mounted the evidence in support of the proposal that neonatal sepsis meets all requirements for being a cause of ROP (not a condition, mechanism, or even innocent bystander) by means of initiating the early stages of the pathomechanism of ROP occurrence, systemic inflammation. We use the model of etiological explanation, which distinguishes between two overlapping processes in ROP causation. It can be shown that sepsis can initiate the early stages of the pathomechanism via systemic inflammation (causation process) and that systemic inflammation can contribute to growth factor aberrations and the retinal characteristics of ROP (disease process). The combined contribution of these factors with immaturity at birth (as intrinsic risk modifier) and prenatal inflammation (as extrinsic facilitator) seems to provide a cogent functional framework of ROP occurrence. Finally, we apply the Bradford Hill heuristics to the available evidence. Taken together, the above suggests that neonatal sepsis is a causal inducer of ROP.

早产儿视网膜病变(ROP) 是一种复杂的新生儿疾病，具有多种影响因素。在本文中，我们提供了证据支持以下观点：新生儿败血症通过启动 ROP 发生的病理机制的早期阶段，满足作为 ROP 病因的所有要求（不是条件、机制，甚至是无辜的旁观者）。 、全身炎症。我们使用病因学解释模型来区分 ROP 因果关系中的两个重叠过程。可以证明，脓毒症可以通过全身炎症（因果过程）启动病理机制的早期阶段，并且全身炎症可以导致生长因子畸变和ROP（疾病过程）的视网膜特征。这些因素与出生时不成熟（作为内在风险调节因素）和产前炎症（作为外在促进因素）的综合作用似乎为 ROP 的发生提供了一个令人信服的功能框架。最后，我们将布拉德福德希尔启发法应用于现有证据。综上所述，上述情况表明新生儿败血症是 ROP 的诱因。