title: Cord blood chemerin and obestatin levels in large for gestational age infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate possible alterations in cord blood levels of adipokines, chemerin and obestatin (secreted by adipose tissue and associated with later development of insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome), as well as insulin, in large for gestational age (LGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) pregnancies, granted that these groups differ in body fat mass and metabolic/endocrine mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cord blood chemerin, obestatin, and insulin concentrations were prospectively measured in 40 LGA (9 born from diabetic and 31 from nondiabetic mothers) and 40 AGA singleton full-term infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cord blood chemerin concentrations were significantly higher in LGA compared with AGA neonates (b = 38.91, SE 9.29, p < 0.001). In contrast, no significant differences in obestatin concentrations were observed between groups. Insulin levels were significantly elevated as customized centiles increased (b = 0.003, SE = 0.001, p = 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher chemerin concentrations in LGA neonates possibly reflect the increased adipose tissue in this group. Lack of difference between the two groups in circulating levels of obestatin-possibly a sensitive marker of insulin resistance-might be due to development of metabolic disorders later in life.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Division, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Athens University, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boutsikou
authors.forename: Despina D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Briana
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boutsikou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kafalidis
authors.forename: Lamprini
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stamati
authors.forename: Stavroula
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baka
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hassiakos
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gourgiotis
authors.forename: Ariadne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malamitsi-Puchner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D054439:Ghrelin; D007328:Insulin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C478630:RARRES2 protein, human; C505799:obestatin, human