Abstract
BackgroundIn very-low-birth-weight infants IGF-I plays an important role in postnatal growth restriction and is probably also involved in growth restriction in childhood. We compared IGF-I and its relation to growth in early childhood in very-low-birth-weight infants and term appropriate for gestational age born infants.MethodsWe included 41 very-low-birth-weight and 64 term infants. Anthropometry was performed at all visits to the outpatient clinic. IGF-I and insulin were measured in blood samples taken at 6 months and 2 years corrected age (very-low-birth-weight children) and at 3 months, 1 and 2 years (term children).ResultsOver the first 2 years of life growth parameters are lower in very-low-birth-weight children compared to term children, but the difference in length decreases significantly. During the first 2 years of life IGF-I is higher in very-low-birth-weight children compared to term children. In both groups there is a significant relationship between IGF-I and (change in) length and weight over the first 2 years of life and between insulin and change in total body fat.ConclusionsConsidering the relation of IGF-I to growth and the decrease in difference in length, higher IGF-I levels in very-low-birth-weight infants in early childhood probably have an important role in catch-up growth in length.
Highlights
Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is important for fetal and postnatal growth and development
During the first 2 years of life IGF-I is higher in very-low-birth-weight children compared to term children
In both groups there is a significant relationship between IGF-I and length and weight over the first 2 years of life and between insulin and change in total body fat
Summary
Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is important for fetal and postnatal growth and development. IGF-I plays an important role in postnatal growth restriction; studies in older children (between 5 and 10 years of age) suggest that IGF-I is involved in prolonged growth restriction in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants [7, 8]. The aim of the present study was to compare IGF-I and its relation to growth parameters in infancy and early childhood in VLBW infants (birth weight < 1500 g) to term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) born infants. In very-low-birth-weight infants IGF-I plays an important role in postnatal growth restriction and is probably involved in growth restriction in childhood. We compared IGF-I and its relation to growth in early childhood in very-low-birth-weight infants and term appropriate for gestational age born infants
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