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Serum Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in growing preterm infants on enteral
F Colonna1, T Pahor, U de Vonderweid
1Centro di Neonatologia, Istituto per l'Infanzia Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
Insights
Serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGFBP-3 levels in preterm infants are linked to nutritional status and physical growth, not growth hormone. These findings highlight key factors influencing growth in premature infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Neonatology
- Growth Factor Research
Background:
- Preterm infants often experience altered growth trajectories.
- Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGFBP-3 are crucial for growth.
- Understanding their regulation in preterm infants is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations in growing preterm infants.
- To investigate the relationship between IGF-I, IGFBP-3, age, and nutritional/hormonal parameters.
- To determine the influence of nutritional status and growth hormone on these factors.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Analysis of serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in 46 preterm infants on enteral nutrition.
- Performed 72 nutritional balance assessments.
- Correlational analysis with age, body weight, length, and serum/urinary markers.
Main Results:
- Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations correlated significantly with each other (r=0.46).
- Both IGF-I and IGFBP-3 correlated with body weight, length, prealbumin, apolipoprotein A, and cholesterol.
- IGF-I also correlated with urinary C-peptide; IGFBP-3 showed a weak correlation with postnatal age.
- No significant correlation was found between IGF-I/IGFBP-3 and corrected age or urinary growth hormone.
Conclusions:
- In growing preterm infants (up to 40 weeks corrected age), serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 are primarily associated with body weight, length, and nutritional status.
- Growth hormone does not appear to be a major determinant of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in this population.
- Nutritional interventions play a key role in modulating growth factor levels in preterm infants.
Abstract:
We analyzed the range of serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and their inter-relationships with age and some parameters of nutritional and hormonal status in 46 growing preterm infants on enteral nutrition. 72 nutritional balances were performed, with a cross-sectional study design, at a mean age of 35.3 +/- 17.2 days, equivalent to a mean corrected age (gestational + postnatal age) of 36 +/- 2.3 weeks. Serum concentrations of IGF-I (mean 64 +/- 36 ng/ml) and IGFBP-3 (mean 1.15 +/- 0.53 mg/l) correlated significantly with each other (r = 0.46) and both correlated with body weight (r = 0.43 and 0.34), body length (r = 0.44 and 0.36) and serum concentrations of prealbumin, apolipoprotein A and cholesterol. IGF-I also correlated with urinary excretion of C-peptide (r = 0.32). There was a weak correlation between IGFBP-3 and postnatal age (r = 0.36) but no correlation between IGF-I and IGFBP-3 and correlated age or urinary excretion of growth hormone. In growing preterm infants, at least until 40 weeks of corrected age, serum concentrations of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 seem to be related principally to body weight, body length and nutritional factors, but not to growth hormone.