The relationship of active ghrelin levels and intrauterine growth in preterm infants

Abstract

We examined the association of active ghrelin levels with birth weight, sex, and gestational age (GA) in small for GA (SGA) and appropriate for GA (AGA) preterm infants. Active ghrelin levels were measured by ELISA method during the first five postnatal days in 38 preterm SGA infants and 32 preterm AGA controls. Active ghrelin levels were significantly higher in preterm SGA infants than in preterm AGA controls (P < 0.01). Active ghrelin levels in preterms with birth weight <1500 g were statistically higher than those over 1500 g. Active ghrelin levels in preterms ≤ 34 gestational weeks were similar to those over 34 weeks. A negative correlation was detected between active ghrelin levels and birth weight (r = -0.561, P < 0.0001) as well as GA (r = -0.449, P < 0.0001). We found significantly higher active ghrelin levels in SGA preterms than those in AGA preterms and demonstrated a negative correlation between active ghrelin levels and birth weight in preterm infants. This was the first study showing a negative correlation between active ghrelin levels and birth weight in preterm infants.