title: Glucagon and insulin cord blood levels in very preterm, late preterm and full-term infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The cause of hyperglycemia, a frequent disorder of glucose homeostasis in very preterm infants, is still unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determine the glucagon and insulin plasma levels at birth in healthy, appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants born by elective cesarean section (ECS), at different gestational age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Glucagon, insulin and the homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index were measured in cord blood in 52 AGA infants divided into three groups: ≤30 weeks, very preterm (VP, n=16); 35-37 weeks, late preterm (LP, n=18); ≥38 weeks, full term (FT, n=18).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all enrolled infants, Apgar score at 5 min after birth was 7 to 9. In VP infants, glucagon levels were higher than those in LP (533±116 vs. 211±28 pg/mL) (p<0.001) and FT infants (533±116 vs. 226±20 pg/mL) (p<0.001). Insulin levels were higher in VP than in LP (8.61±2.48 vs. 3.98±0.94 mU/L) (p<0.001) and FT infants (8.61±2.48 vs. 4.56±1.2 mU/L) (p<0.001). HOMA-IR index was higher in VP than in LP and FT infants (30.6±10.2 vs. 11.9±3.04 and 13.5±1.6, respectively) (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that very low gestational age is associated with high glucagon plasma levels and insulin-resistance, which could explain hyperglycemia in the very preterm infants.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bagnoli
authors.forename: Frida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vodo
authors.forename: Stela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vodo
authors.forename: Maria Lucia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tomasini
authors.forename: Zhejni
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vodo
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pasqui
authors.forename: Fausta
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sestini
mesh_terms: D001034:Apgar Score; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D005934:Glucagon