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Blood Acylated Ghrelin Concentrations in Healthy Term Newborns: A Prospective Cohort Study
Neha Parveen1, Ayesha Ahmad1, Syed Manazir Ali1
1Department of Pediatrics, JN Medical College and Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh, Aligarh 202001, India.
Insights
Cord acylated ghrelin levels are higher in small for gestational age (SGA) neonates and inversely correlate with birth weight, suggesting a role in intrauterine nutrition but not postnatal growth.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Endocrinology
- Growth and Development
Background:
- Ghrelin, a growth hormone secretagogue, has an unclear role in neonatal growth.
- Previous studies on ghrelin's effect on neonate growth are inconclusive.
- Understanding ghrelin's impact on infant growth is crucial for identifying potential interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between acylated ghrelin (AG) concentrations and anthropometric measurements in healthy term infants.
- To assess AG levels at birth and three months of age in relation to growth parameters.
- To determine if AG serves as a marker for intrauterine nutrition and postnatal growth.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study in a tertiary care hospital.
- Inclusion of 84 healthy term infants (SGA and AGA).
- Measurement of acylated ghrelin (AG) in cord blood at birth and venous blood at 3 months, correlated with growth parameters.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher AG concentrations in SGA neonates compared to AGA neonates at birth.
- Negative correlation between AG levels and birth weight, length, and head circumference in SGA infants.
- No correlation found between AG concentrations and anthropometric changes at three months in either group.
Conclusions:
- Cord blood AG concentrations are elevated in SGA neonates and inversely related to birth weight.
- AG may serve as a surrogate marker for intrauterine nutrition.
- AG does not appear to directly influence early postnatal growth based on anthropometric parameters.
Objective:
The effect of ghrelin, a growth hormone (GH) secretagogue on growth of neonates, has been studied in the past, but not fully clarified. We aimed to investigate the relationship between ghrelin and growth parameters at birth and at the age of three months in healthy term infants. Methodology. This was a prospective observational study carried out in a tertiary care hospital. Eighty-four infants born at gestational ages between 37 and 42 weeks and classified as term small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) were included in the study. Estimation of acylated ghrelin (AG) concentrations was done in the cord blood at birth and in venous blood at the age of 3 months in all the infants. The correlation between AG concentrations and growth parameters at birth and at 3 months was studied.
Results:
AG concentrations were significantly higher in SGA (236.16 ± 152.4 pg/ml) than AGA neonates (59.45 ± 20.95 pg/ml) at birth. Concentrations were observed to be negatively correlated with birth weight (r = -0.34, p value 0.03), birth length, and head circumference (r = -0.509 and -0.376, respectively) in SGA neonates. However, at 3 months, AG concentrations did not correlate with changes in anthropometric parameters in both the groups.
Conclusion:
Cord acylated ghrelin concentrations are higher in SGA neonates, and the concentrations are inversely proportional to the birth weight. Hence, its role as a surrogate marker for intrauterine nutrition can be suggested. However, its concentrations do not correlate with anthropometric parameters in early postnatal growth, suggesting it may not have a direct role in postnatal growth.
