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Do the adiponectin and leptin levels in preterm and term breast milk samples relate to infants' short-term growth?
Betul Kocaadam1, Eda Koksal1, Kudret Ebru Ozcan2
11Faculty of Health Sciences,Department of Nutrition and Dietetics,Gazi University, Beşevler/Ankara,Turkey.
Insights
Breast milk adiponectin may influence infant growth, particularly in preterm infants, while leptin shows minimal impact. Further research is recommended to explore these adipokines
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Adiponectin and leptin are key hormones regulating appetite and body weight.
- Understanding their role in early infant growth is crucial for nutritional guidance.
- Breast milk composition significantly impacts infant development, especially for preterm infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between breast milk adipokine levels (adiponectin and leptin) and the short-term growth of preterm and term infants.
- To analyze the correlation of these adipokines with anthropometric measurements during the first three months of life.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to quantify adiponectin and leptin in mature breast milk.
- Growth parameters (weight, length, head circumference, BMI) of 31 preterm and 34 term infants were monitored for three months.
- Statistical analyses, including linear regression, were used to assess relationships between adipokines and growth metrics.
Main Results:
- Adipokine levels were higher in preterm infants compared to term infants.
- Adiponectin showed negative correlations with length increment and positive correlations with BMI increment in preterm infants.
- Leptin was negatively associated with birth head circumference in preterm infants and triceps skinfold increment in term infants.
Conclusions:
- Adiponectin appears to play a role in the short-term growth of infants, particularly preterm infants.
- Leptin did not demonstrate a significant impact on infant growth in this study.
- Longitudinal studies are warranted to further elucidate the effects of adiponectin and leptin on infant development.
Abstract:
Adiponectin and leptin are involved in appetite control and body weight regulation. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between breast milk adipokine levels and short-term growth of preterm and term infants. Thirty-one preterm (median=35.3 weeks) and 34 term (median=38.7 weeks) infants were enrolled. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect adipokines in mature milk. Infant growth was followed during the first 3 months. Although weight gain in the first month was insufficient, positive linear growth was observed in the following months for preterm infants, while term infants had positive steady linear growth. The median level of adipokines was found to be higher in preterm infants (P>0.05). Adiponectin showed significant negative correlations with some anthropometric measurements of term infants. However, in preterm infants, adiponectin was negatively correlated with length increment and positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) increment in the second-third month. In addition, leptin was negatively associated with the head circumference at birth in preterm infants and the triceps skinfold thickness increment in the first-second month term infants (P<0.05). In linear regression models, while gestational age, adiponectin and leptin were not related, maternal age and pre-pregnancy BMI had effects on body weight increment in 0-1 months (P<0.05). In conclusion, adiponectin may affect short-term growth, while leptin has no important effect. It would be beneficial to carry out longitudinal studies to evaluate the effects of these adipokines on the growth of infants.