Hormonal regulation of postnatal growth in children born small for gestational age.
Children born small for gestational age (SGA) are at high risk of permanent short stature, with approximately 10% continuing to have stature below the third centile throughout childhood and adolescence and into adulthood. The mechanisms involved in catch-up growth, and those that prevent catch-up growth, are still unknown. To date, no reliable anthropometric or endocrine parameter predictive of postnatal catch-up growth has been identified. However, subtle abnormalities in the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor axis, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and thyroid function have been described, and a mechanism involving intrauterine programming of hypothalamic-pituitary function has been proposed.
Cianfarani
S
S
Rina Balducci Centre of Paediatric Endocrinology, Department of Public Health and Cell Biology, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy. stefano.cianfarani@uniroma2.it
Ladaki
C
C
Geremia
C
C
D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000254:growth & development*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000502:physiology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000502:physiology
D006728:Hormones; D013002:Somatomedins; D013006:Growth Hormone