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Developmental pattern of urinary epidermal growth factor in the premature infant and the influence of gender

S M Scott1, C M Guardian, P Angelus

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of New Mexico, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131.

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|March 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Urinary epidermal growth factor/creatinine (EGF/Cr) levels show early maturation in female infants compared to males. This gender difference in EGF/Cr levels emerges in the third trimester, indicating sex-specific developmental trajectories.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal physiology
  • Pediatric endocrinology
  • Growth and development

Background:

  • Urinary epidermal growth factor/creatinine (EGF/Cr) is a biomarker for renal maturation.
  • Infant development exhibits significant gender-specific differences during gestation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal patterns of first-day urinary EGF/Cr levels in preterm infants.
  • To determine if gender influences EGF/Cr levels during early development.
  • To assess the correlation of EGF/Cr patterns with gestational and postnatal age.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 159 infants (26-41 weeks gestation) measuring first-day urinary EGF/Cr.
  • Longitudinal study of 28 infants tracking weekly urinary EGF/Cr levels.
  • Statistical analysis to compare EGF/Cr levels between genders and correlate with age.

Main Results:

  • Female infants showed significantly earlier increases in urinary EGF/Cr levels compared to males.
  • EGF/Cr levels in females reached term-like values by 30-32 weeks gestation; males by 32-34 weeks.
  • Longitudinal data revealed a significant shift in the EGF/Cr pattern at 32 weeks corrected gestational age and 4 weeks postnatal age.

Conclusions:

  • Significant gender differences in urinary EGF/Cr levels exist in preterm infants during the third trimester.
  • These differences align with other noted gender-specific maturational and growth variations.
  • Longitudinal urinary EGF/Cr patterns in preterm infants are influenced by corrected gestational age.

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