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Insulin resistance in short children with intrauterine growth retardation
F Chiarelli1, L di Ricco, A Mohn
1Department of Medicine, University of Chieti, Italy.
Insights
Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in children is linked to adult diseases like hypertension and diabetes, potentially due to insulin resistance. Studies show short children with IUGR consistently exhibit insulin resistance, especially during puberty.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Pediatrics
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- Growing evidence links intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) to adult degenerative diseases.
- Conditions such as essential hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and ischemic heart disease are associated with IUGR.
- Insulin resistance is a potential underlying mechanism connecting IUGR to these adult conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review mechanisms and measurement methods for insulin resistance.
- To summarize recent studies evaluating insulin resistance in short children with IUGR.
- To present findings on insulin resistance in prepubertal children with IUGR.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on insulin resistance mechanisms and measurement.
- Summary of recent studies focusing on insulin resistance in short children with IUGR.
- Clinical observations and data from prepubertal children with IUGR.
Main Results:
- Short prepubertal children with IUGR consistently demonstrate insulin resistance.
- Insulin resistance in these children becomes more pronounced during pubertal development.
- The findings support insulin resistance as a key factor in the IUGR-adult disease association.
Conclusions:
- Insulin resistance is a significant finding in short children born with IUGR.
- The pubertal period exacerbates insulin resistance in this cohort.
- Early identification and management of insulin resistance in IUGR children may mitigate risks of adult degenerative diseases.
Abstract:
Scientific evidence is accumulating for an association between intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and an increased risk of developing adult degenerative diseases, such as essential hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and ischaemic heart disease. A possible underlying mechanism for these conditions is insulin resistance. In this paper, mechanisms and methods of measurement of insulin resistance are briefly reviewed, and recent studies on the evaluation of insulin resistance in short children with IUGR are summarized. In our experience, short prepubertal children with IUGR show consistent insulin resistance, which becomes particularly evident during pubertal development.