Fingernail nitrogen content in infants of diabetic mothers and in macrosomic neonates.

Abstract

Fingernail nitrogen content (FNC) was determined on nail trimmings obtained within 24 h of birth from 21 infants of diabetic mothers and 82 infants of nondiabetic mothers. Macrosomic infants of nondiabetic mothers had higher mean FNC than their normally grown peers. Both normally grown and macrosomic infants of diabetic mothers had higher mean FNC than normally grown infants of diabetic mothers. These data suggest that fetal macrosomia and maternal diabetes may independently increase the rate of nitrogen accretion in fingernails.