Increased adrenocortical and adrenomedullary hormonal activity in 12-year-old children born small for gestational age.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether adrenal hormonal activity is altered in children born small for gestational age (SGA), and whether concentrations of adrenal hormones relate to those of serum lipids or to anthropometric measures.


METHODS
We studied 55 SGA children and 55 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) children at the age of 12 years in a case-control setting. The concentrations of fasting serum cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), plasma epinephrine (E), and norepinephrine (NE) were analyzed.


RESULTS
The SGA children had significantly higher mean concentrations of serum DHEAS (3.53 vs 2.89 micromol/L, P =.009) and plasma E (0.33 vs 0.25 nmol/L, P =.005) than their age- and sex-matched control subjects. The mean serum cortisol and plasma NE concentrations did not differ significantly between the groups. However, the SGA children in the highest quartile for serum cortisol had significantly higher concentrations of plasma E (0.50 vs 0.28 nmol/L, P <.001), serum LDL (3.21 vs 2.73 mmol/L, P =.025) and total cholesterol (5.06 vs 4.42 mmol/L, P =.021) than the SGA children in the lower cortisol quartiles. The factors associating with high levels of plasma E in the SGA children were high level of serum cortisol [odds ratio (OR) = 3.8, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.5-10], LDL cholesterol (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.3-12), male sex (OR = 8.3, 95% CI = 1.0-68) and low birth weight (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.0-1.8) in multiple logistic regression analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Twelve-year-old children born SGA had increased DHEAS and epinephrine levels in circulation. High serum cortisol concentrations are associated with high epinephrine, LDL, and total cholesterol levels.
Tenhola
Sirpa
S
Departments of Pediatrics and Clinical Chemistry, Kuopio University Hospital, and the Computing Centre, Kuopio University, Kuopio, Finland.
Martikainen
Anneli
A
Rahiala
Eero
E
Parviainen
Markku
M
Halonen
Pirjo
P
Voutilainen
Raimo
R
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000378:metabolism*; D000886:Anthropometry; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000378:metabolism*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D002784:Cholesterol; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine