Decreased growth hormone response to glucagon in infants after an apnea of infancy

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J P Chanoine1, E Rebuffat, A Kahn

  • 1Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|April 17, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Infants with apnea of infancy showed a 33% decrease in growth hormone secretion. Despite this, their linear growth remained normal, possibly due to hypoxia or nervous system maturation issues.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Neonatology

Background:

  • Apnea of infancy is a condition characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep.
  • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) shares potential risk factors with apnea of infancy.
  • Growth hormone (GH) plays a crucial role in infant development and linear growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate glucagon-stimulated growth hormone (GH) secretion in infants with apnea of infancy.
  • To compare GH secretion patterns between infants with apnea of infancy and healthy siblings.
  • To explore potential correlations between altered GH secretion and underlying physiological factors.

Main Methods:

  • Glucagon stimulation test was administered to assess GH release.
  • Growth hormone levels were measured in 9 infants diagnosed with apnea of infancy.
  • A control group of 55 siblings of SIDS victims was included for comparison.

Main Results:

  • A significant 33% reduction in glucagon-induced GH secretion was observed in infants with apnea of infancy compared to controls.
  • Despite diminished GH secretion, infants with apnea of infancy exhibited normal linear growth parameters.
  • No significant differences in linear growth were noted between the patient and control groups.

Conclusions:

  • Altered growth hormone secretion is present in infants with apnea of infancy.
  • Normal linear growth in the presence of reduced GH secretion suggests compensatory mechanisms or alternative growth pathways.
  • Hypoxia or abnormal autonomic nervous system maturation may underlie the observed endocrine changes in apnea of infancy.

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