title: Vascular endothelial growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-1 in preterm infants with retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can lead to severe visual impairment. This study was conducted to determine the levels of biochemical mediators (i. e. vascular endothelial growth f actor [ VEGF] and insulin- like growth factor-1 [IGF-1]) in the blood of premature infants with proliferative ROP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples from 71 preterm infants born at or before 32 weeks of gestation were obtained 6-8 weeks after birth. These infants were classified into two groups according to their eye examination results. The control group consisted of 41 infants who had no evidence of ROP, and the study group consisted of 30 infants with proliferative ROP at stage III or higher. Blood VEGF and IGF-1 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean gestational ages of the infants at birth were 28.4 ± 1.6 and 28.8 ± 1.6 weeks in the study and control groups, respectively (p = 0.259). The mean postmenstrual age of the infants at the time of blood sampling was 34.9 ± 1.2 weeks in the study group and 34.6 ± 1.3 weeks in the control group (p = 0.339). The mean blood IGF-1 (18.48 ± 11.79 µg/L and 16.75 ± 13.74 µg/L in the study and control groups, respectively; p = 0.580) and VEGF (267.35 ± 103.43 pg/mL and 237.52 ± 130.92 pg/mL in the study and control groups, respectively; p = 0.305) levels of the infants were not significantly different between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At 6-8 weeks after birth, blood IGF-1 and VEGF levels were not found to be significantly different between premature infants with proliferative ROP and those without.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Al Zahra Hospital, South Arthesh Street, 513866449, Tabriz, Iran. gharehbaghimm@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peirovifar
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Al Zahra Hospital, South Arthesh Street, 513866449, Tabriz, Iran. gharehbaghimm@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Manizheh Mostafa
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gharehbaghi
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Al Zahra Hospital, South Arthesh Street, 513866449, Tabriz, Iran. gharehbaghimm@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Parvin Mostafa
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Gharabaghi
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Al Zahra Hospital, South Arthesh Street, 513866449, Tabriz, Iran. gharehbaghimm@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C583557:IGF1 protein, human; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I