title: Endocrine profile of children with intrauterine growth retardation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Aviva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fattal-Valevski
authors.forename: Hagit
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toledano-Alhadef
authors.forename: Avraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golander
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leitner
authors.forename: Shaul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harel
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D002096:C-Peptide; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D011388:Prolactin; D006854:Hydrocortisone