Cord blood prolidase activity correlates with gestational age and birth weight

Prolidase, a specific iminopeptidase involved in collagen turnover, is especially active in growing tissues.

To investigate the relationship between cord blood prolidase activity and both birth weight and gestational age.

Cord blood was collected consecutively from 50 healthy newborns (35 term, 15 preterm). Prolidase activity was measured in the samples using standard methods.

Themean +/- SD cord blood prolidase activity was 41.4 +/- 6.9 U/l in term infants and 35.2 +/- 8.0 U/l in preterm infants and these were significantly different (p < 0.01). There were positive correlations between cord blood prolidase and both birth weight (r = 0.533, p < 0.01) and gestational age (r = 0.806, p < 0.01).

Cord blood prolidase activity may be a good indicator of fetal maturation and gestational age.