Early Postnatal Metabolic Profile in Neonates With Different Birth Weight Status: A Pilot Study

Serdar Beken,Saygin Abali,Didem Kaya,Meltem Kilercik,Taha Dinc,Ezgi Bulbul,Fehime Benli Aksungar,Eda Albayrak,Mustafa Serteser,Muge Halici,Melike Ersoy,Neslihan Yildirim Saral,Melis Karabay,Bengisu Guner,Zeynep Alize Ay,Gulten Zeynep Eksi,Ayse Korkmaz

doi:10.3389/fped.2021.646860

Abstract

Introduction: Restricted or enhanced intrauterine growth is associated with elevated risks of early and late metabolic problems in humans. Metabolomics based on amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profile may have a role in fetal and early postnatal energy metabolism. In this study, the relationship between intrauterine growth status and early metabolomics profile was evaluated.Materials and Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted. Three hundred and sixty-one newborn infants were enrolled into the study, and they were grouped according to their birth weight percentile as small for gestational age (SGA, n = 69), appropriate for gestational age (AGA, n = 168), and large for gestational age (LGA, n = 124) infants. In all infants, amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profiles with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were recorded and compared between groups.Results: LGA infants had higher levels of glutamic acid and lower levels of ornithine, alanine, and glycine (p < 0.05) when compared with AGA infants. SGA infants had higher levels of alanine and glycine levels when compared with AGA and LGA infants. Total carnitine, C0, C2, C4, C5, C10:1, C18:1, C18:2, C14-OH, and C18:2-OH levels were significantly higher and C3 and C6-DC levels were lower in SGA infants (p < 0.05). LGA infants had higher C3 and C5:1 levels and lower C18:2 and C16:1-OH levels (p < 0.05). There were positive correlations between free carnitine and phenylalanine, arginine, methionine, alanine, and glycine levels (p < 0.05). Also, a positive correlation between ponderal index and C3, C5-DC, C14, and C14:1 and a negative correlation between ponderal index and ornithine, alanine, glycine, C16:1-OH, and C18:2 were shown.Conclusion: We demonstrated differences in metabolomics possibly reflecting the energy metabolism in newborn infants with intrauterine growth problems in the early postnatal period. These differences might be the footprints of metabolic disturbances in future adulthood.

Highlights

Restricted or enhanced intrauterine growth is associated with elevated risks of early and late metabolic problems in humans
Metabolomics based on amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profile studies with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) may have a role in our understanding of fetal and early postnatal energy metabolism
Infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes, preeclempsia, infections, and other diseases; formula-fed infants; multiple gestations; preterm infants; and newborn infants who had any congenital anomaly were excluded from the study to avoid their confounding effects

Summary

Introduction

Restricted or enhanced intrauterine growth is associated with elevated risks of early and late metabolic problems in humans. Metabolomics based on amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profile may have a role in fetal and early postnatal energy metabolism. The relationship between intrauterine growth status and early metabolomics profile was evaluated. Restricted or enhanced intrauterine growth is associated with elevated risks of early and late metabolic problems [1,2,3]. Newborns with enhanced intrauterine growth, namely large for gestational age (LGA) infants, have increased risk of hypoglycemia and energy failure in the postnatal life [5]. Metabolomics based on amino acid and carnitine/acylcarnitine profile studies with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) may have a role in our understanding of fetal and early postnatal energy metabolism

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