Prospective Study on Plasma Pro-endothelin-1 in Predicting Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Prospective Study on Plasma Pro-endothelin-1 in Predicting Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Serial quantitative measurements of plasma pro-endothelin-1 concentrations in very preterm infants. Comparing pro-endothelin-1 with established clinical indices of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Hypothesis: Pulmonary-vascular remodeling in infants developing BPD is directly related to circulating pro-endothelin-1, which therefore serves as surrogate marker of BPD.

Inclusion criteria:

• Very preterm infants born before 32 weeks gestational age

Exclusion criteria:

• Severe fetal malformation, congenital heart defect, inborn syndrome, cardiomyopathy, fetal hydrops