title: Biomarkers of adiposity are elevated in preterm very-low-birth-weight infants at 1, 2, and 3 y of age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preterm, very-low-birth-weight (PT-VLBW) neonates are at-risk for metabolic syndrome later in life. At 1-3 y, they exhibit excessive weight-for-length z-scores (Wt-LZ) and elevated systolic blood pressures (SBP). Serum adipokines are biomarkers of adiposity, but expression in PT-VLBW infants is unclear. We examined the correlation between serum adipokine levels, anthropometric measures and SBP in PT-VLBW neonates at follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional cohort study of PT-VLBW infants at 1, 2, and 3 y of age (40/cohort). We measured SBP, abdominal circumference (AC) and anthropometrics; calculated age/gender-specific z-scores for Wt, L, Wt-L and subscapular skin fold (SSZ), and measured serum adipokines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum leptin was unaffected by chronologic age and gender, but was positively correlated with weight, Wt-LZ, AC, and SSZat 1 and 3 y (P < 0.01). Female infants at 1 and 3 y had a more significant relationship than males between serum leptin and SSZ(P < 0.001, R = 0.75 and P < 0.001, R = 0.70, respectively). Adiponectin levels were 16-20% lower at 3 vs. 1-2 y (P = 0.02, ANOVA) and negatively correlated with SBP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although serum leptin was unrelated to advancing age, gender, and SBP in PT-VLBW infants, levels correlated with measures of adiposity at 1 and 3 y, females > males, suggesting leptin resistance may occur in early infancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Andrea F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Frankfurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Roy J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Heyne
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D050154:Adiposity; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood* / Q000254:growth & development; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000097:blood* / Q000254:growth & development; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D020738:Leptin; C499624:RETN protein, human; D052243:Resistin