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Early Postnatal Metabolic Profile in Neonates With Different Birth Weight Status: A Pilot Study

Serdar Beken1, Saygin Abali2, Neslihan Yildirim Saral3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|May 14, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Newborns with abnormal intrauterine growth show distinct metabolomic profiles, particularly in amino acids and carnitine levels. These early metabolic differences in small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) infants may predict future health risks.

Area of Science:

  • Metabolomics
  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and excessive fetal growth are linked to metabolic disorders.
  • Amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profiles are crucial for energy metabolism in fetuses and newborns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between intrauterine growth status and early postnatal metabolomic profiles.
  • To identify specific metabolic differences in infants small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA).

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cohort study of 361 newborns categorized as SGA, appropriate for gestational age (AGA), or LGA.
  • Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to analyze amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profiles.

Main Results:

  • LGA infants showed higher glutamic acid and lower ornithine, alanine, and glycine levels compared to AGA.
  • SGA infants exhibited higher alanine and glycine levels, along with altered carnitine and acylcarnitine species (e.g., higher total carnitine, C0, C2, C4, C5, C10:1, C18:1, C18:2, C14-OH, C18:2-OH; lower C3, C6-DC).
  • LGA infants had higher C3 and C5:1 levels and lower C18:2 and C16:1-OH levels. Correlations were found between metabolites and ponderal index.

Conclusions:

  • Significant metabolomic differences exist in newborns with abnormal intrauterine growth, reflecting altered energy metabolism.
  • These early metabolic signatures in SGA and LGA infants may indicate a predisposition to future metabolic disturbances.

Keywords:
carnitinelarge for gestational agemetabolomics (OMICS)small for gestation agetandem MS

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