title: High Postnatal Growth Hormone Levels Are Related to Cognitive Deficits in a Group of Children Born Very Preterm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known regarding the influence of GH on brain development, especially in infants born very preterm (VP; <30 weeks' gestation). Preterm infants are thought to have higher levels of GH in the first days of life compared with full-term infants. VP infants experience cognitive difficulties in childhood and have a diffuse pattern of structural brain abnormalities. This study aimed to explore the relationship between postnatal GH concentrations following VP birth and its association with cognitive functioning and brain volumes at age 7 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-three infants born VP had GH concentrations measured at eight time points postnatally, and 2- and 6-week area under the curve (AUC) summary measures were calculated. Followup at age 7 years included neuropsychological assessment and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Univariable and multivariable regression modeling were used where AUC for GH was the main predictor of neurodevelopmental outcome at age 7 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Univariable modeling revealed that higher GH levels (2-week AUC) were related to poorer performance on a verbal working memory (P = .04) and shifting attention task (P = .01). These relationships persisted on multivariable modeling and when the 6-week AUC was analyzed; working memory (P = .03), immediate spatial memory (P = .02), and delayed spatial memory (P = .03) deficits were found. Higher GH levels were also associated with larger amygdala volumes after adjustment for potential confounders (P = .002, 2-week AUC; P = .03, 6-week AUC).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher postnatal GH levels may potentially contribute to the documented neurodevelopmental abnormalities seen in children born VP at school age.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., Z.M.A., R.F.G., T.E.I., R.W.H.), Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, 3052 Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., R.W.H.), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia; The Royal Women's Hospital (L.W.D.), Victoria, 3052 Australia; School of Medical Sciences (R.F.G.), RMIT University, Victoria, 3000 Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (T.E.I.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and The Royal Children's Hospital (R.W.H.), Melbourne, 3052 Australia.
authors.forename: Shannon E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Scratch
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., Z.M.A., R.F.G., T.E.I., R.W.H.), Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, 3052 Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., R.W.H.), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia; The Royal Women's Hospital (L.W.D.), Victoria, 3052 Australia; School of Medical Sciences (R.F.G.), RMIT University, Victoria, 3000 Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (T.E.I.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and The Royal Children's Hospital (R.W.H.), Melbourne, 3052 Australia.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., Z.M.A., R.F.G., T.E.I., R.W.H.), Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, 3052 Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., R.W.H.), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia; The Royal Women's Hospital (L.W.D.), Victoria, 3052 Australia; School of Medical Sciences (R.F.G.), RMIT University, Victoria, 3000 Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (T.E.I.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and The Royal Children's Hospital (R.W.H.), Melbourne, 3052 Australia.
authors.forename: Lex W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., Z.M.A., R.F.G., T.E.I., R.W.H.), Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, 3052 Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., R.W.H.), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia; The Royal Women's Hospital (L.W.D.), Victoria, 3052 Australia; School of Medical Sciences (R.F.G.), RMIT University, Victoria, 3000 Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (T.E.I.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and The Royal Children's Hospital (R.W.H.), Melbourne, 3052 Australia.
authors.forename: Deanne K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., Z.M.A., R.F.G., T.E.I., R.W.H.), Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, 3052 Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., R.W.H.), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia; The Royal Women's Hospital (L.W.D.), Victoria, 3052 Australia; School of Medical Sciences (R.F.G.), RMIT University, Victoria, 3000 Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (T.E.I.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and The Royal Children's Hospital (R.W.H.), Melbourne, 3052 Australia.
authors.forename: Zohra M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Ahmadzai
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., Z.M.A., R.F.G., T.E.I., R.W.H.), Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, 3052 Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., R.W.H.), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia; The Royal Women's Hospital (L.W.D.), Victoria, 3052 Australia; School of Medical Sciences (R.F.G.), RMIT University, Victoria, 3000 Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (T.E.I.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and The Royal Children's Hospital (R.W.H.), Melbourne, 3052 Australia.
authors.forename: Ronda F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Greaves
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., Z.M.A., R.F.G., T.E.I., R.W.H.), Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, 3052 Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., R.W.H.), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia; The Royal Women's Hospital (L.W.D.), Victoria, 3052 Australia; School of Medical Sciences (R.F.G.), RMIT University, Victoria, 3000 Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (T.E.I.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and The Royal Children's Hospital (R.W.H.), Melbourne, 3052 Australia.
authors.forename: Terrie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Inder
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., Z.M.A., R.F.G., T.E.I., R.W.H.), Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, 3052 Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (S.E.S., P.J.A., L.W.D., D.K.T., R.W.H.), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia; The Royal Women's Hospital (L.W.D.), Victoria, 3052 Australia; School of Medical Sciences (R.F.G.), RMIT University, Victoria, 3000 Australia; Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine (T.E.I.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and The Royal Children's Hospital (R.W.H.), Melbourne, 3052 Australia.
authors.forename: Rodney W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hunt
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature / Q000097:blood* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000523:psychology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone