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Urine Metabolism Biomarkers Predict Preterm Infant Adiposity at Hospital Discharge.
Catherine O Buck1, Sarah McCollum1, Weiwei Wang2
1Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, Connecticut, USA.
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
|March 12, 2026
Summary
Maternal diabetes and preterm birth alter infant metabolism. Urinary metabolite patterns in newborns may predict adiposity, offering insights into early developmental changes.
Area of Science:
- Metabolomics
- Neonatal Health
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Maternal diabetes mellitus (DM) impacts fetal development.
- Infant adiposity is a growing concern with potential long-term health implications.
- Early metabolic changes may precede observable adiposity development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate associations between maternal diabetes and infant urinary metabolite profiles.
- To explore the relationship between these metabolite patterns and early adiposity in newborns.
- To examine the influence of gestational age (term vs. preterm) on these associations.
Main Methods:
- Targeted metabolomics assay on infant urine samples collected within the first week of life.
- Body composition assessments (adiposity) at hospital discharge.
- Quantile regression analysis to link metabolite groups with maternal DM and infant adiposity.
Main Results:
- Urinary metabolites (fatty acid, amino acid) associated with adiposity markers (triceps skin fold, mid-arm circumference) in preterm infants exposed to DM.
- Specific acylcarnitines (C2, C3) and ornithine decreased in infants of mothers with DM.
- Preterm infants showed increased levels of various metabolites including amino acids and acylcarnitines.
Conclusions:
- Infant urinary metabolite concentrations are influenced by maternal diabetes and gestational age.
- Metabolite profiles show differential associations with postnatal adiposity, particularly in preterm infants of diabetic mothers.
- Urinary metabolite signatures may serve as early indicators of metabolic alterations in developing infants.
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