Peptides from adipose tissue in monitoring energy balance in infants.
OBJECTIVE
Overnutrition as well as undernutrition is a serious problem in hospitalized patients, especially in infants. Routine laboratory tests detecting disturbances in energy balance are not specific or accurate. The aim of this study was to evaluate adiponectin and leptin as markers of short-time energy malnutrition.


METHODS
Forty-five infants fed orally and parenterally were included in the study. Plasma glucose, leptin and adiponectin were measured in a fasting state and postprandially (1 h after the meal), after a minimum of 24 h of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and after a minimum of 8 h of intravenous infusion of glucose and crystalloids.


RESULTS
Postprandial glucose levels in children fed orally was similar to that observed in children who received intravenous infusion of glucose. The TPN children had slightly higher glucose concentration in contrast to leptin levels which were significantly lower in this group (1.08 mg/mL +/- 0.43) as compared to the others (p < 0.05 in both cases). The mean postprandial levels of the adiponectin in orally fed children were significantly higher (10.7 microg/mL +/- 2.4) than in children with TPN (5.8 microg/mL +/- 2.4; p < 0.001) and in children hydrated intravenously (3.3 microg/mL +/- 2.3; p < 0.001). The concentration of adiponectin correlated significantly with calorie intake.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral meal does not affect the plasma concentrations of leptin and adiponectin in infants. Adiponectin is a good short-time marker of energy malnutrition in infants.
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Jagiellonian University College of Medicine, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland. p.tomasik@uj.edu.pl
Przemyslaw J
PJ
Tomasik
Andrzej
A
Wedrychowicz
Iwona
I
Rogatko
Krzysztof
K
Fyderek
Krystyna
K
Sztefko
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000378:metabolism; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D020738:Leptin; D010455:Peptides