Alterations in infant adipokine concentrations in the first postnatal week with exposure to diabetes in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

Characterize changes in neonatal energy metabolism hormones in first postnatal week.

STUDY

DESIGN

Concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, insulin, resistin, and ghrelin were measured in cord and infant blood collected in the first postnatal week in a prospective cohort of term and preterm infants. Change over time in each hormone was modeled using linear mixed effects regression.

RESULT: Among 106 infants, 65 (61%) were preterm and 44 (42%) were exposed to diabetes (DM) in pregnancy. DM group had higher leptin [between group difference β 2.5 (95%CI: 1.72-3.70)] and resistin [β 1.5 (95%CI:1.14, 1.92)] and lower ghrelin [β 0.49] [95%CI: (0.32-0.76)] versus non-DM group. Preterm infants had lower adiponectin [β 0.80 (95%CI: 0.67-0.96)] versus term group. Insulin varied by DM and prematurity (interaction-term p value < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In this cohort, hormone concentrations varied by DM and prematurity. Early alterations in energy metabolism hormones may reflect changes in developmental programming which persist in the early postnatal period.