Circulating visfatin levels may predict ROP development

Issue: August 25, 2012

Circulating levels of visfatin in preterm infants may serve as a predictive marker for retinopathy of prematurity, according to a study.

Eighty-eight infants born between 2007 and 2009 with a gestational age younger than 32 weeks were included in the study.

The study group comprised 14 infants who were diagnosed with ROP stages 3 to 5 and a control group of 74 infants without ROP. The researchers collected fetal cord blood and a blood sample at 4 to 6 weeks postnatal age for laboratory analysis of visfatin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels.

Results showed that infants without ROP had higher visfatin-1, visfatin-2, insulin-1, insulin-2, (IGF-1)-1, and (IGF-1)-2 levels compared to those who had ROP (P < .001 for all levels).

Change in visfatin was positively correlated with change in IGF-1 and insulin, and change in IGF-1 was positively correlated with change in insulin. No significant differences were found in terms of birth weight or gestational age.

“We believe that similar to IGF-1 levels and weight gain, the measurement of visfatin levels can be used as a predictive marker in determining which infants will develop ROP. However, further longitudinal studies including a larger number of cases are needed about this subject,” the researchers said.

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Source:

J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2012;49(2):120-124.