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[IGF-I, VEGF and bFGF as predictive factors for the onset of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)]
E Villegas-Becerril1, R González-Fernández, L Perula-Torres
1Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Reina Sofía de Córdoba, C/. Menéndez Pidal s/n, Córdoba, Spain. drvill@terra.es
Insights
Serum levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in premature infants are significant risk factors for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). These cytokines can aid in ROP screening and prediction.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Ophthalmology
- Biochemistry
Context:
- Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
- Existing ROP screening methods may benefit from additional predictive biomarkers.
- Understanding the role of growth factors in ROP pathogenesis is crucial.
Purpose:
- To investigate whether serum Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) are independent risk factors for ROP development in premature infants.
- To develop a multivariate model incorporating these cytokines for enhanced ROP screening.
Summary:
- Serum samples from 74 premature infants (birth weight <1500g or gestational age <32 weeks) were analyzed for IGF-I, VEGF, and bFGF levels.
- Infants who developed ROP (N=37) showed significantly different levels of IGF-I and VEGF compared to those without ROP (N=37).
- No significant difference in bFGF levels was observed between the groups, but IGF-I and VEGF enabled the creation of a predictive risk model.
Impact:
- Serum IGF-I and VEGF levels can serve as valuable indicators for ROP screening in premature infants.
- The findings support the integration of these cytokine measurements into clinical practice for predicting ROP risk.
- This research contributes to early detection and management strategies for ROP, potentially reducing visual impairment in vulnerable infants.
Objective:
To determine if IGF-I, VEGF and bFGF, present in the serum of premature infants, are independent risk factors of the development of ROP. It was also our objective to design a multivariate model that included these three cytokines as indicator parameters in the ROP screening, in addition to the other parameters already in existence.
Methods:
74 patients were recruited with a birth weight below 1500g or gestational age below 32 weeks. These were classified into those who developed ROP (N = 37) and those without ROP (N = 37). We obtained serum from each infant at the time of the first examination at 4-6 postnatal weeks. These samples were frozen until the time of analysis. The roles of gestational age and birth weight were also evaluated.
Results:
There were significant differences in the amount of the cytokines IGF-I and VEGF between the groups with or without ROP, but there were no significant differences for bFGF. The differences enabled us to establish a multivariate model including IGF-I and VEGF for the prediction of risk of ROP.
Conclusions:
Cytokine serum levels in premature infants can be useful as an indicator in ROP screening, as well as being used to predict the probability of suffering the illness.
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