title: Analysis of amino acids and acyl carnitine profiles in low birth weight, preterm, and small for gestational age neonates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the amino acids (AA) and acyl carnitine (AC) profiles in dry blood spot (DBS) specimens of low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), and small for gestational age (SGA), and to compare the concentration difference of AA and AC with those without above.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospectively study. Eight thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine uncomplicated pregnant newborns were enrolled into the study. DBS were collected on the third day of life, and concentrations of 11 types of AA, free carnitine and 30 types of AC were detected by using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Shapiro-Wilk test and Kruskal-Wallis rank test were applied in statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concentrations of most AA and AC in infants born in SGA were significantly higher than those in non-SGA group, while lower in LBW and PTB groups than those in non-LBW and non-PTB groups (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The difference of concentration of AA and AC in the subgroups suggested there may be a dysutilization of AA and AC in SGA, but an inborn insufficient of AA and AC in LBW and PTB neonates.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Southern Medical University, Nan fang Hospital , Guangzhou , China.|b Department of Medical Genetics Center , Guangdong Women and Children Hospital , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical Genetics Center , Guangdong Women and Children Hospital , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: c Department of Urology , Liuhuaqiao Hospital , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical Genetics Center , Guangdong Women and Children Hospital , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: d Department of Children Inherited Metabolism and Endocrine , Guangdong Women and Children Hospital , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Jianhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: d Department of Children Inherited Metabolism and Endocrine , Guangdong Women and Children Hospital , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Jinqun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: e Department of Prenatal Diagnosis & Fetal Medicine , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Southern Medical University, Nan fang Hospital , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medical Genetics Center , Guangdong Women and Children Hospital , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D059788:Dried Blood Spot Testing; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000097:blood*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D055442:Metabolome; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; C116917:acylcarnitine; D002331:Carnitine
keywords: low birth weight; preterm birth; small for gestational age; “Amino acids/analysis” [Mesh]; “carnitine/analysis” [Mesh]