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Sequelae of syndrome X in children born small for gestational age

Margreet A Veening1, Mirjam M van Weissenbruch, Henriette A Delemarre-van de Waal

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Research Institute for Endocrinology, Reproduction and Metabolism, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Hormone Research
|December 13, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Children born small for gestational age (SGA) exhibit reduced insulin sensitivity and elevated nighttime systolic blood pressure (SBP) compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) peers. Further follow-up is needed to assess the long-term development of metabolic syndrome components.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Metabolic Syndrome Research
  • Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

Background:

  • Low birth weight, specifically being small for gestational age (SGA), is linked to metabolic syndrome (Syndrome X) in adults.
  • Understanding the early manifestations of metabolic syndrome components in childhood is crucial for preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence of metabolic syndrome components in prepubertal children born SGA compared to those born appropriate for gestational age (AGA).
  • To assess insulin sensitivity and blood pressure in these pediatric groups.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 29 SGA children and 24 AGA children (mean age ~9 years).
  • Measured fasting serum lipid concentrations.
  • Utilized hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp for insulin sensitivity assessment.
  • Employed ambulatory monitoring for 24-hour blood pressure recording.

Main Results:

  • Prepubertal SGA children demonstrated significantly lower insulin sensitivity compared to AGA children.
  • Nighttime systolic blood pressure (SBP), adjusted for BMI, was higher in SGA children.
  • No significant differences in serum lipid concentrations were observed between the SGA and AGA groups.

Conclusions:

  • While some metabolic alterations are present, not all components of metabolic syndrome are evident in 9-year-old SGA children.
  • Longitudinal follow-up of this cohort is necessary to track the development of Syndrome X components over time.
Abstract

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