title: Genetic variation of vascular endothelial growth factor pathway does not correlate with the severity of retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the genetic effects of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study from a tertiary center that enrolled 204 Japanese infants (<35 weeks of gestational age (GA)) having no anomalies. ROP developed in 127, but not in 77 infants. The relative severity was defined as non-severe, moderate and severe ROP for GA, based on the staging criteria. VEGF (g.-634G>C, g.+13553C>T) and VEGF-receptor (KDR g.+4422(AC)11 to 14, Flt-1 c.+6724(TG)13 to 23) gene polymorphisms and clinical variables were assessed by uni/multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of polymorphisms did not differ between ROP and non-ROP patients. The TT genotype of g.+13553 showed a higher odds ratio for non-severe ROP than CC genotype (P=0.006). Multivariate analyses indicated that low birth weight, blood transfusion and respiratory distress syndrome, but not polymorphisms, were the risk factors of advanced ROP (≥ stage 3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A genotype of the VEGF pathway weakly affects the severity of ROP compared with other clinical factors.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kusuda
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Hikino
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Ohga
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kinjo
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ochiai
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Takahata
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Tokunaga
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ihara
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Hata
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Hara
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000150:complications*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1