Nutrition, insulin-like growth factor-1 and retinopathy of prematurity.

ABSTRACT: Retinopathy of prematurity is a potentially blinding disease starting with impaired retinal vessel growth in the neonatal period. Weeks to months later, peripheral retinal hypoxia induces pathologic neovascularization that may lead to retinal detachment and blindness. Current treatment strategies target late stage disease and it would be advantageous if retinopathy of prematurity could be prevented. Poor general growth after very preterm birth is a universal problem associated with increased risk of retinopathy. Loss of the maternal-fetal interaction results not only in loss of nutrients but also of other factors provided in utero. The importance of nutrition and factors such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and ω-3 long chain fatty acids for proper retinal vascularization has been defined

SUBMITTER: Hard AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3809333 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature