Angiopoietin-1 and Endostatin Levels in Cord Plasma Predict the Development of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Infants

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether angiopoietin-1 and endostatin levels in the cord blood could predict the subsequent development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 102 preterm (gestational age ≤ 32 weeks) infants (28 infants developed BPD and 74 had no BPD) were enrolled in the study. Cord plasma levels of angiopoietin-1 and endostatin were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Preterm infants who subsequently developed BPD had significantly lower cord plasma levels of angiopoietin-1 than those who did not (p < 0.001). Our results showed that cord plasma levels of endostatin were significantly higher in infants with BPD than in those without (p < 0.001). In infants with BPD, angiopoietin-1 levels in cord plasma correlated negatively with endostatin (r = -0.48; p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: In preterm infants, low-angiopoietin-1 and high-endostatin levels in cord plasma at birth predict the subsequent development of BPD.