Ghrelin in small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborn babies: a cross-sectional study

Summary Background Small‐for‐gestational newborn babies may have long‐term metabolic consequences. Among the main hormones possibly involved in foetal growth regulation are the IGFs, IGFBPs and the recently described ghrelin. Objective To examine the levels of desacyl‐ghrelin, IGF‐1, IGFBP‐1 and IGFBP‐3 in children Small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) and children adequate‐for‐gestational age (AGA). Design This was a cross‐sectional and comparative study. Subjects We included 40 children SGA and 40 children AGA. Measurements Blood sample was taken a week after birth and measuring hormonal levels were done by ELISA. Results SGA babies had lower IGF‐1, IGFBP‐3 and leptin levels, but higher ghrelin and IGFBP‐1 levels. Birth weight was associated independently with ghrelin and IGFBP‐1 (negatively) and IGFBP‐3 (positively). Ghrelin circulating levels were associated negative and independently with IGFBP‐3 and triglycerides in the mother. Conclusions We interpreted these findings to indicate that diminished body weight in newborns induce different adaptive signals, some of them mediated by IGF‐1/IGFBP‐3, ghrelin or by IGFBP‐1. This regulation is congruent with the proposed role of ghrelin to adaptation to under‐nutrition favouring lipid accumulation. CONCyTEG grant number 05‐16‐K117‐028.