Circulating adipocyte fatty acid binding protein levels in healthy preterm infants: Positive correlation with weight gain and total-cholesterol levels

Siahanidou, Tania; Margeli, Alexandra; Davradou, Maria; Apostolakou, Filia; Papassotiriou, Ioannis; Roma, Eleftheria; Mandyla, Helen; Chrousos, George

doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2010.02.008

« Previous Next »Early Human Development
Volume 86, Issue 4 , Pages 197-201, April 2010

Circulating adipocyte fatty acid binding protein levels in healthy preterm infants: Positive correlation with weight gain and total-cholesterol levels

Tania Siahanidou
- Neonatal Unit, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece
- Corresponding author. Neonatal Unit, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece. Tel.: +30 213 2013 889; fax: +30 210 7759167.
Alexandra Margeli
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
Maria Davradou
- Neonatal Unit, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece
Filia Apostolakou
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
Ioannis Papassotiriou
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
Eleftheria Roma
- Neonatal Unit, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece
Helen Mandyla
- Neonatal Unit, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece
George Chrousos
- Neonatal Unit, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece

Received 24 November 2009; received in revised form 18 February 2010; accepted 19 February 2010.

Abstract

Background

Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (a-FABP) has been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Preterm infants are at risk for the later development of insulin resistance, and, possibly, other components of metabolic syndrome.

Aim

To determine circulating levels of a-FABP in preterm infants and examine possible associations of a-FABP with metabolic indices (serum lipids, glucose, and insulin levels, and homeostasis model assessment index of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]), levels of leptin and adiponectin, anthropometric parameters and weight gain.

Study design

Prospective cohort study.

Subjects

55 healthy preterm (mean [SD] gestational age 32.8 [1.8] weeks) and 23 fullterm infants (reference group).

Outcome measures

Serum a-FABP, lipids, glucose, insulin, leptin and adiponectin levels at 31.9 [10.4] days of life.

Results

Serum a-FABP levels did not differ significantly between preterm and fullterm infants. A-FABP levels correlated positively with total-cholesterol [total-C] in both preterm and fullterm infants (β=0.33; p=0.01 and β=0.33; p=0.04, respectively). In addition to total-C, weight gain correlated independently with a-FABP levels in preterm infants (β=0.36, p=0.01).

Conclusions

An association between a-FABP levels and indices of insulin resistance was not present in infants studied. As the development of insulin resistance in children born prematurely is possibly associated with weight gain in early postnatal life, follow-up of our study population is necessary to demonstrate whether a-FABP levels, shown to correlate with weight gain in preterm infants, are a predictive marker for the later development of insulin resistance in these infants.

Abbreviations: a-FABP, adipocyte fatty acid binding protein, BMI, body mass index, HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment index of insulin resistance, total-C, total-cholesterol

Keywords: Fatty acid binding protein, Adipose tissue, Neonate, Insulin resistance