Prorenin levels in retinopathy of prematurity.

Abstract

To evaluate serum prorenin levels in preterm infants with or without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Noncomparative retrospective case control study. Serum prorenin levels in children with a gestational age younger than 36 weeks were measured with antibody-activating direct enzyme kinetic assay. The mean prorenin concentrations were higher in preterm infants with ROP than in infants without ROP at every time point: from 26 to 30 weeks, 2326 +/- 334 microg/ml (mean +/- SE [standard error]) (n = 3) and 1164 +/- 234 microg/ml (n = 3), respectively (P < .05); from 31 to 35 weeks, 1760 +/- 496 microg/ml (n = 10) and 957.1 +/- 139 microg/ml (n = 25) (P < .05); from 36 to 40 weeks, 958.2 +/- 194.2 microg/ml (n = 23) and 470.1 +/- 32.6 microg/ml (n = 67) (P < .01); and from 41 to 45 weeks, 575.8 +/- 148.4 (n = 9) and 385.6 +/- 47.9 (n = 13), which is not significantly different. Prorenin levels in preterm infants can predict which infants will develop ROP.