%0 Journal Article
%T Correlation between apelin and VEGF levels in retinopathy of prematurity: a matched case-control study.
%A Zhang Y
%A Feng J
%A Shao S
%A Mu Q
%A Liu J
%A Zeng C
%A Zhang X
%A Zhang Y
%A Feng J
%A Shao S
%A Mu Q
%A Liu J
%A Zeng C
%A Zhang X
%J BMC Ophthalmol
%V 22
%N 1
%D Aug 2022 11
%M 35953806
%F 2.086
%R 10.1186/s12886-022-02565-x
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Although several clinical studies have analysed the relationship between the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and apelin-13 in venous blood and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), no definitive conclusions have been reached. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between apelin-13 levels and VEGF levels and ROP.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Differences in plasma apelin-13 and VEGF levels were analysed in two groups of infants born with birth weight < 1500 g and gestational age < 32 weeks at Peking University People' s Hospital. One group comprised infants diagnosed with ROP and the other group was a control group comprising infants without ROP.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Apelin-13 levels were significantly lower in the ROP group than in the control group, while VEGF levels showed the opposite result (both P < 0.001). Infants with severe ROP had lower apelin-13 levels and higher VEGF levels than with mild ROP (both P < 0.05).The receiver operating characteristic curve for apelin-13 level as the indicator of ROP showed that a cut-off value of 119.6 pg/mL yielded a sensitivity of 84.8% and a specificity of 63.6%, while for VEGF level, the cut-off value of 84.3 pg/mL exhibited a sensitivity of 84.8% and a specificity of 66.7%.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Plasma apelin-13 and VEGF levels at 4-6 weeks of age may play a role in assisting the diagnosis of ROP.