Relation of cord serum levels of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factors, insulin-like growth factor binding proteins, leptin, and interleukin-6 with birth weight, birth length, and head circumference in term and preterm neonates.
OBJECTIVE
Fetal growth process is governed by multiple factors. We investigated the relation of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), leptin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) with intrauterine growth in preterm and term neonates.


METHODS
Thirty-eight preterm and 43 term neonates were recruited. Anthropometric measures were recorded and umbilical cord blood samples were collected at birth.


RESULTS
Birth weight (BW), birth length (BL), ponderal index, head circumference (HC), and cord serum levels of albumin, prealbumin, retinol-binding protein (RBP), total and free IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, acid-labile subunit (ALS), and leptin were significantly lower, whereas levels of IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, and IL-6 were significantly higher in preterm than in term neonates (P < 0.05). Total and free IGF-I, ALS, and leptin had significantly positive correlations, whereas IGFBP-2 had a significantly negative correlation, with BW and BL in preterm plus term neonates. Forward stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that gestational age (GA), IGFBP-2, leptin, and free IGF-I are significant predictors of BW; GA, IGFBP-2, ALS, transferrin, and leptin are significant predictors of BL; and GA and free IGF-I are significant predictors of HC in preterm and term neonates.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-2, ALS, and leptin play important roles in intrauterine growth.
Lo
Hui-Chen
HC
Department of Medical Education and Research, Changhua Christian Hospital, 135 Nanhsia Street, Changhua 500, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Tsao
Lon-Yen
LY
Hsu
Wen-Yin
WY
Chen
Hsia-Nan
HN
Yu
Wai-Kit
WK
Chi
Chiu-Yen
CY
D000886:Anthropometry; D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D002508:Cephalometry; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005865:Gestational Age; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 / Q000097:blood; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000032:analysis*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D020738:Leptin; D011228:Prealbumin; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D013002:Somatomedins; C075944:insulin-like growth factor binding protein, acid labile subunit; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II