Association of plasma leptin levels with maternal body weight and body mass index in premature and term newborns.
BACKGROUND
Leptin plays an important role in the regulation of body weight and energy metabolism in adults; its role in neonates also needs to be explored. The current study aims to determine the correlation between serum leptin concentrations and anthropometric variables in newborns and their mothers, and to examine the effects of sex, gestational age and antenatal steroid use on neonatal leptin levels.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study. Blood samples were collected from 55 newborns within 24 hours of birth. Plasma leptin levels were measured by immunometric assay. The relationship between neonatal leptin levels and anthropometric parameters was determined using Pearson's correlation and further evaluated by linear regression analysis.


RESULTS
Neonatal leptin was significantly correlated with maternal body weight (p < 0.002) and maternal body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.001). However, it was not correlated with gestational age (p = 0.130), birth weight (p = 0.097), or birth BMI (p = 0.336). The leptin levels in premature newborns (gestational age < 37 weeks; 0.69 +/- 1.82ng/mL) were significantly less than those in term newborns (gestational age > or = 37 weeks; 2.09 +/- 2.30 ng/mL, p = 0.031). There were no significant differences between sexes (p = 0.277) or in relation to antenatal steroid use (p = 0.611).


CONCLUSIONS
Neonatal serum leptin concentrations within 24 hours of birth correlated with maternal body weight and BMI, especially in premature newborns. Premature newborns had significantly lower leptin levels than full-term newborns.
Department of Pediatrics, Shin Kong WHS Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Shih-Ping
SP
Ho
Ling-Jen
LJ
Wang
I
I
Cheng
Yi-Ling
YL
Chen
Tseng-Chen
TC
Sung
Guey-Mei
GM
Jow
Shu-Chi
SC
Mu
D000328:Adult; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D020738:Leptin; D001623:Betamethasone