title: Cord blood leptin levels in relation to child growth trajectories.
abstract: Leptin represents a potential modulator of developmental programming of childhood obesity. We investigated the association of cord blood leptin with growth trajectories from birth to early childhood.
  
  
  
  We used data from the prospective mother-child cohort "Rhea", Crete, Greece. Cord blood samples from 642 neonates were collected. 578 (90%) children had complete follow up data from birth to 4years. We measured child weight, height, waist circumference, skinfold thicknesses, blood pressure, and serum lipids, leptin, adiponectin and C-reactive protein in early childhood (median 4.2years). We estimated growth trajectories from 3months up to 4years using random-effects linear-spline models. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used adjusting for confounders.
  
  
  
  Mean cord blood leptin levels were 7.3ng/mL (standard deviation: 6.3). Children with high cord blood leptin (>90th percentile) exhibited lower weight, height and body mass index from 6months to early childhood. Each SD increase in cord blood leptin was associated with lower weight at the age of 4 by 242g (95% CI: -416, -69). In a stratified analysis, the reverse association was observed in children born small for gestational age (p for interaction=0.001), and in those exhibiting rapid infant growth during the first 3months of life (p for interaction=0.002). Cord blood leptin levels were not associated with cardiometabolic risk factors at 4years.
  
  
  
  Long term programming effects of in utero exposure to leptin extends beyond infancy into early childhood. Further studies are needed to explore potential effect modification by intrauterine and early infancy growth patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece; Department of Experimental Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. Electronic address: p_karakosta@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Polyxeni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karakosta
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Theano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roumeliotaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chalkiadaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sarri
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vassilaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry-Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venihaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry-Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malliaraki
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kampa
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castanas
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain; National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kogevinas
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mantzoros
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Leda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chatzi
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids
keywords: Birth cohort; Childhood; Cord blood; Growth; Leptin