Related Experiment Videos
Growth and sexual maturation in children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
1University of South Florida Diabetes Center, Tampa.
Insights
Prediabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus significantly impact children's growth and sexual maturation due to impaired insulin response. This hormonal imbalance affects growth velocity, weight, and can lead to delayed puberty, impacting overall development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Prediabetes precedes overt diabetes mellitus, involving beta-cell destruction and potential growth acceleration.
- Insulin deficiency in prediabetes and diabetes mellitus impacts anabolic processes and hormonal regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the effects of insulin deficiency on growth and sexual maturation in children with diabetes mellitus.
- To understand the role of insulin in regulating growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I, and sex hormones.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on the physiological effects of insulin deficiency in pediatric diabetes.
- Analysis of hormonal pathways and their impact on growth and sexual development.
Main Results:
- Insulin deficiency leads to slowed growth velocity and weight loss as diabetes progresses.
- Prepubertal children with diabetes often experience delayed sexual maturation and impaired physical growth.
- Dysfunctional growth hormone, IGF-I, and sex hormone levels result from absent insulin response.
Conclusions:
- Loss of physiologic insulin release adversely affects physical growth and sexual maturation in children with diabetes mellitus.
- Delayed sexual maturation can exacerbate concerns regarding growth and development in affected children.
- Sex hormones may influence tissue damage in chronic hyperglycemia, highlighting the complex interplay of factors in diabetes complications.
Abstract:
Prediabetes, the interval preceding the clinical recognition of diabetes mellitus, is believed to consist of several months or years of beta-cell destruction associated with no clinically recognized signs other than possible increased growth velocity. This increased growth rate may be the result of increased insulin, increased growth hormone, or both. As insulin-dependent diabetes approaches clinical recognition, insulin deficiency becomes manifest as slowing of growth velocity and more obvious weight loss. If a prepubertal child has insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, sexual maturation is frequently delayed and physical growth is adversely affected. Insulin is an anabolic hormone that regulates metabolic pathways involved in the production of protein, glycogen, and fat. The normal release of growth hormone and the hepatic production of insulin-like growth factor I is modulated by the action of insulin. The absence of physiologic insulin response leads to dysfunctional quantities of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I, and sex hormones, resulting in growth impairment and delayed sexual maturation. Delayed sexual maturation may cause concern because it has a major impact on growth and maturation of children. However, there is evidence that sex hormones have a stimulating effect on the tissue damage associated with chronic hyperglycemia. The loss of physiologic insulin release significantly affects physical growth, sexual maturation, and the chronic complications associated with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.