title: The physiologic development of fetuin-a serum concentrations in children.
abstract: Fetuin-A prevents tissue calcification by forming soluble complexes with calcium and phosphate. A pathological depletion of serum fetuin-A has been observed in children on dialysis or after renal transplantation but knowledge on physiologic age-related changes in serum fetuin-A is limited. We prospectively evaluated serum fetuin-A in 133 infants and children, ranging from very low birth weight infants to adolescents. Highest serum fetuin-A levels were present between 23 and 30 wk of gestation (1 +/- 0.33 mg/mL). Thereafter, the values decreased. This decrease was linked to biological rather than chronological age. At 32 to 36 and 37 to 40 wk of gestation, the serum fetuin-A concentration was 0.63 +/- 0.26 and 0.63 +/- 0.21 mg/mL, respectively. Thereafter, the concentrations remained stable until adolescence at 0.58 +/- 0.12 mg/mL. Intercurrent infections were associated with a transient decrease of serum fetuin-A levels. The high serum fetuin-A concentrations in preterm children suggest that fetuin-A is of high physiologic impact for the fetal and the preterm-born organism, showing extensive tissue formation. This might point to a new mechanism contributing to organ damage in these patients, comparable with children on dialysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Pauwelsstrasse 30, Aachen 52074, Germany. haeusler@rwth-aachen.de
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Häusler
authors.forename: Cora
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osterwinter
authors.forename: Willi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jahnen-Dechent
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein
chemical_list: C556354:AHSG protein, human; D001798:Blood Proteins; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein