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Ghrelin in preterm and term newborns: relation to anthropometry, leptin and insulin

Pak C Ng1, Cheuk H Lee, Christopher W K Lam

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong. pakcheungng@cuhk.edu.hk

Clinical Endocrinology
|August 3, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Plasma ghrelin levels are consistent at birth in both preterm and term newborns. In term infants, ghrelin inversely correlates with birth weight and length, suggesting a role in regulating infant metabolism.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal physiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Metabolic regulation

Background:

  • Ghrelin is a key metabolic hormone influencing appetite and growth.
  • Understanding ghrelin's role in neonates is crucial for assessing early metabolic programming.
  • Preterm birth may impact early hormonal development and metabolic adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine plasma ghrelin concentrations at birth in preterm and term newborns.
  • To investigate the relationship between ghrelin, metabolic hormones (leptin, insulin), and anthropometric parameters.
  • To explore potential gestational age-related variations in neonatal ghrelin levels.

Main Methods:

  • Blood samples collected from preterm (n=81) and term (n=40) newborns within 2 hours of birth.
  • Hormonal assays performed for plasma ghrelin, leptin, and insulin.
  • Statistical analysis to evaluate correlations between ghrelin, hormones, and anthropometric data.

Main Results:

  • Plasma ghrelin was detectable in all infants, with no significant difference between preterm and term groups.
  • No overall correlation found between ghrelin and gestational age, anthropometry, leptin, or insulin.
  • In term infants only, ghrelin showed an inverse correlation with birth weight and body length.

Conclusions:

  • Neonatal plasma ghrelin concentrations are stable from 23 to 42 weeks gestation.
  • Ghrelin secretion does not appear to vary with gestational age at birth.
  • The inverse relationship in term infants suggests ghrelin's role in late-gestation growth and metabolism, potentially aiding appetite and glucose regulation post-birth.
Abstract

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