Objective: To observe the changes of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in newborns at different gestational ages and infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and explore the relationship with ROP.
Methods: A total of 184 newborns admitted into our hospital were enrolled. They were divided into three groups as < 32 weeks, 32 - 36 weeks and term neonates based on gestational age. Each group was further divided into two subgroups of non-oxygen and oxygen. The ROP group was diagnosed by ophthalmologist in infants whose birth weights were less than 2000 grams. Serum VEGF was measured by ELISA every other week from birth until discharge.
Results: In three non-oxygen subgroups, the serum VEGF was declining with postnatal age in prematurities and stable in term neonates. Serum VEGF (ng/L) in 32 - 36 week premature group was much higher than those of term group at Weeks 1 and 3 (522 ± 224 vs 247 ± 123, P = 0.000; 393 ± 220 vs 247 ± 177, P = 0.022); Serum VEGF in < 32 week premature group was slightly higher than that of term group at Week 1 (P = 0.071). Serum VEGF (ng/L) in oxygen subgroup at Weeks 1 and 3 was significantly lower than that of non-oxygen subgroup (324 ± 148 vs 522 ± 224, P = 0.000; 264 ± 106 vs 393 ± 220, P = 0.005) only in 32 - 36 week premature group. Serum VEGF (ng/L) in ROP group abnormally increased at Week 5 and it was significantly higher than that of prematurities without ROP at 31 weeks of corrected gestational age (515 ± 154 vs 347 ± 161, P = 0.047).
Conclusions: Abnormally elevated serum VEGF in prematurities may be related to ROP. Monitoring serum VEGF in prematurities could help to predict ROP.