Endocrine profile of children with intrauterine growth retardation.
BACKGROUND
Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is a major cause of short stature in childhood. Most but not all children experience catch-up growth by 2 years of age.


METHODS
We investigated the endocrine profile (thyroid function, prolactin, cortisol, C-peptide and insulin-like growth factor-I [IGF-IJ levels) of 57 children with IUGR, aged 2-10 years, and compared it with 30 controls whose birth weight was appropriate-for-gestational-age.


RESULTS
The hormonal profile for both groups was similar for thyroid hormones, prolactin, C-peptide and IGF-I. Cortisol levels were significantly lower in the IUGR group compared to controls (p <0,05). When the IUGR group was divided into 'catch-up' growth and 'non-catch-up' subgroups, the latter had significantly lower IGF-I levels (p <0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Lower cortisol levels in children born with IUGR may reflect impaired function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis associated with this condition. The significantly lower IGF-I levels of the 'non-catch-up' subgroup may be involved in their failure to grow.
Fattal-Valevski
Aviva
A
The Institute for Child Development and Pediatric Neurology Unit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. afatal@post.tau.ac.il
Toledano-Alhadef
Hagit
H
Golander
Avraham
A
Leitner
Yael
Y
Harel
Shaul
S
D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
D002096:C-Peptide; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D011388:Prolactin; D006854:Hydrocortisone