Relationship between insulin sensitivity and IGF-I sensitivity in low birth weight prepubertal children

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin are structurally related proteins with similar receptors and signal transduction systems.

We postulate that some low birth weight (LBW) children may have decreased sensitivity to both insulin and IGF-I.

We studied 48 prepubertal LBW children aged 7.6 +/- 2.4 years. Insulin sensitivity was determined using an oral glucose tolerance test, and IGF-I sensitivity was assessed by determining nocturnal GH concentrations at baseline and after administration of recombinant human IGF-I/IGFBP-3 complex.

Children were classified into quartiles of insulin sensitivity based on their glucose AUC/insulin AUC index. Children in the lowest quartile of insulin sensitivity exhibited a lower IGF-I sensitivity after administration of the rhIGF-I/rhIGFBP-3 complex compared to children in the highest quartile of insulin sensitivity (percent change in GH AUC: -44.2 +/- 5.7 vs. -21.6 +/- 6.8, p < 0.05).

LBW children in the lowest quartile of insulin sensitivity exhibited a lower pituitary GH response to the administration of rhIGF-I/rhIGFBP-3. Our findings suggest that reduced sensitivity to insulin and IGF-I may coexist in some prepubertal LBW children.