INTRODUCTION: Endostatin is an antiangiogenic growth factor. Together with 
proangiogenic growth factors it acts to shape the developing vasculature. 
Dysregulation of angiogenesis is a component in the pathogenesis of 
bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to study whether the concentration of circulating 
endostatin at birth is associated with the development of bronchopulmonary 
dysplasia in very low birth weight infants.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Endostatin concentration was measured in cord plasma from 
92 very low birth weight infants (gestational age < 32 weeks; birth weight < 
1500 g) and 48 healthy term infants (gestational age > 37 weeks; birth weight > 
2500 g).
RESULTS: Endostatin concentration in very low birth weight infants was lower 
than in healthy term infants. Within the very low birth weight group no 
correlation existed between endostatin concentration and gestational age or 
relative birth weight. Very low birth weight infants who subsequently developed 
bronchopulmonary dysplasia had higher cord endostatin than those who did not. 
Higher endostatin concentration was associated with higher odds for 
bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Adjusted for gestational age, the odds for 
bronchopulmonary dysplasia were higher.
CONCLUSIONS: Circulating endostatin in term infants was higher than in very low 
birth weight infants, suggesting a temporal pattern for fetal endostatin 
concentration. In very low birth weight infants a high concentration of 
circulating endostatin at birth is associated with the subsequent development of 
bronchopulmonary dysplasia.