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Growth factor levels may help predict ROP onset

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Infants who develop retinopathy of prematurity have low levels of serum insulin-like growth factor, a recent study found. Testing for this deficiency may help predict development of ROP, the author suggests, and raising levels of the growth factor to normal levels might prevent the disease.

Lois E. H. Smith, of Children’s Hospital in Boston, said that abnormalities in both oxygen-regulated and nonoxygen-regulated factors affect the development of ROP. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an oxygen-regulated factor that affects blood vessel growth. When suppressed, VEGF inhibits normal vessel growth, and in excess it precipitates retinal neovascularization.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) is a nonoxygen-regulated growth factor that can also affect normal vessel growth, Dr. Smith found. Like VEGF, at low levels it prevents normal vessel development, and at high levels it stimulates neovascularization.

Dr. Smith's study was published in the journal Seminars in Neonatology.