Cord blood prolidase activity correlates with gestational age and birth weight.
BACKGROUND
Prolidase, a specific iminopeptidase involved in collagen turnover, is especially active in growing tissues.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between cord blood prolidase activity and both birth weight and gestational age.


METHODS
Cord blood was collected consecutively from 50 healthy newborns (35 term, 15 preterm). Prolidase activity was measured in the samples using standard methods.


RESULTS
Themean +/- SD cord blood prolidase activity was 41.4 +/- 6.9 U/l in term infants and 35.2 +/- 8.0 U/l in preterm infants and these were significantly different (p < 0.01). There were positive correlations between cord blood prolidase and both birth weight (r = 0.533, p < 0.01) and gestational age (r = 0.806, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Cord blood prolidase activity may be a good indicator of fetal maturation and gestational age.
Citak Kurt
A Nese
AN
Department of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty of Firat University, Elazig, Turkey. drnesekurt@yahoo.com
Ustundag
Bilal
B
Akarsu
Saadet
S
Kurt
Abdullah
A
Yilmaz
Erdal
E
Ocal
Cesur
C
Aygun
A Denizmen
AD
D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D004150:Dipeptidases / Q000097:blood*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies
D004150:Dipeptidases; C022449:proline dipeptidase