Umbilical cord and fifth-day serum vaspin concentrations in small-, appropriate-, and large-for-gestational age...

Vaspin is a visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor that has an insulin-sensitizing effect. It is correlated with insulin resistance and glucose metabolism, and it improves glucose tolerance.

The aim of this study was to determine and compare serum vaspin and insulin concentrations in small-for- gestational age (SGA), appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA), and large-for-gestational age (LGA) infants at birth and fifth postnatal day.

Eighty-two neonates were divided into three groups: SGA (n=22), AGA (n=30), and LGA (n=30). Mothers' age, gestational week, mode of delivery, and maternal diseases, such as diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and eclampsia were recorded. Blood for vaspin, insulin, and glucose was collected from the cord at birth and from a peripheral vein on the fifth postnatal day.

At birth, there were no statistically significant difference in serum insulin concentrations among the three groups, whereas cord serum vaspin concentrations were significantly higher in the SGA group (χ2=8.158, p<0.05). Serum glucose and vaspin levels on the fifth postnatal day had no significant difference among three groups (p<0.05). Circulating vaspin concentrations were not associated with the sex of the infant and delivery route.

Cord vaspin levels are significantly higher in SGA neonates than in AGA or LGA neonates. The fetal programming hypothesis proposes that many adulthood diseases originate from the adaptation that the fetus makes when it is undernourished. High cord-vaspin levels in SGA infants may be one of the adaptations for increased risk for adult metabolic diseases.