Postnatal Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor I and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Latin American Infants

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose Identifying at-risk infants for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is complex in countries with emerging economies as infants that lack conventional risk factors, such as low birth weight (BW) and young gestational age (GA), still go on to develop severe ROP. Potential biomarkers, like serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and slow postnatal weight gain, have been identified as good predictors for ROP in developed countries. We sought to determine the relationship between IGF-1 levels and ROP in two Latin American countries where the burden of disease is still significant. Methods Prospective cohort study of infants in Guadalajara, Mexico and La Plata, Argentina. Filter-paper bloodspot IGF-1 assays were performed weekly from birth until hospital discharge or 40 weeks’ postmenstrual age (PMA). Results 112 infants were studied with a median BW of 1412 g (range 620 g-2390 g) and a median GA of 33 weeks (range 25–37). There was no significant difference in IGF-1 between infants who developed ROP and those who did not. Conclusion Low IGF-1 was not associated with ROP in these infants. The lack of an association between ROP and IGF-1 in Latin America supports the observation that growth-based predictive models do not perform as well in this setting where more mature babies still develop severe ROP.