Background: The polypeptide angiogenin, a normal constituent of human plasma, might be involved in endothelium homeostasis, angiogenesis and neovascularization accompaning various diseases. This study aimed at determining angiogenin serum concentrations (ASC) in the perinatal period of healthy newborns and at having a baseline for this protein, which in the future may serve as a diagnostic index in developmental errors of the placenta and/or newborn.

Subjects- Interventions: One ml of blood was drawn on day 1 (N1) and 4 (N4) of life from 30 healthy fullterm neonates and ASC were measured by an enzyme immunoassay using a commercially available kit. In 10 cases ASC were measured also in the maternal serum (MS) before delivery and the umbilical cord serum (UC).

Results: ASC (ng/ml) were significantly higher in MS (225.7± 49.6) compared to UC (119.0 ± 34.2) (p<0.0002) as well as compared to N1 (166.4 ± 44.9) (p<0.01) but not to N4 (240.8 ± 52.6). ASC showed a statistically significant increase from N1 to N4(p<10-7), as well as from UC to N1 (p<0.0002). A statistically significant correlation existed between values in UC and N1 (r=0.84, n=10, p<0.0002) and between those in N1 and N4 (r=0.37, n=30, p<0.04). Neither sex, birth weight nor mode of delivery influenced ASC.

Conclusions: We conclude that a rapid increase of ASC to maternal levels takes place during the first 4 postnatal days in healthy fullterm neonates.