AIMS: To verify if plasma leptin concentrations of newborns at birth differ significantly between sexes; and to investigate the potential interactions between plasma leptin and growth-regulating hormones at birth. SUBJECTS: 98 healthy newborns (48 male, 50 female) were studied. Leptin, insulin, cortisol, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations were measured from venous blood collected from the umbilical card vein immediately after birth. RESULTS: The serum leptin concentration of newborns averaged 8.05 (0.5) ng/ml. Females had significantly (P < 0.005) higher serum leptin values than males [9.6 (0.8) vs 6.0 (0.6) ng/ml]. IGF-1 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in females than in males [87 (4) vs 74 (5) μg/l], whereas SHBG was slightly lower [29 (1) vs 33 (2) nmol/l]. Insulin, cortisol, and testosterone serum concentrations were not statistically different between the sexes. Among the variables examined, birth weight (expressed as Z-score of weight) and insulin showed the highest degree of relationship with serum leptin in newborns (r = 0.48 and r = 0.31 respectively, P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that Z-score of birth weight, gender and cortisol were able to account for ≃ 44% of inter-individual variability of serum leptin concentrations in newborns. CONCLUSIONS: Female newborns have significantly higher serum leptin concentrations than males. Insulin, IGF-1, testosterone, and SHBG did not independently affect leptin inter-individual variability when gender, Z-score of body weight, and cortisol were taken into account. Other factors may be involved in the differences in circulating leptin concentrations between the sexes in newborns.

Leptin concentration in cord blood: relationship to gender and growth regulating hormones

MAFFEIS, Claudio;MOGHETTI, Paolo;TATO', Luciano
1999-01-01

Abstract

AIMS: To verify if plasma leptin concentrations of newborns at birth differ significantly between sexes; and to investigate the potential interactions between plasma leptin and growth-regulating hormones at birth. SUBJECTS: 98 healthy newborns (48 male, 50 female) were studied. Leptin, insulin, cortisol, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations were measured from venous blood collected from the umbilical card vein immediately after birth. RESULTS: The serum leptin concentration of newborns averaged 8.05 (0.5) ng/ml. Females had significantly (P < 0.005) higher serum leptin values than males [9.6 (0.8) vs 6.0 (0.6) ng/ml]. IGF-1 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in females than in males [87 (4) vs 74 (5) μg/l], whereas SHBG was slightly lower [29 (1) vs 33 (2) nmol/l]. Insulin, cortisol, and testosterone serum concentrations were not statistically different between the sexes. Among the variables examined, birth weight (expressed as Z-score of weight) and insulin showed the highest degree of relationship with serum leptin in newborns (r = 0.48 and r = 0.31 respectively, P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that Z-score of birth weight, gender and cortisol were able to account for ≃ 44% of inter-individual variability of serum leptin concentrations in newborns. CONCLUSIONS: Female newborns have significantly higher serum leptin concentrations than males. Insulin, IGF-1, testosterone, and SHBG did not independently affect leptin inter-individual variability when gender, Z-score of body weight, and cortisol were taken into account. Other factors may be involved in the differences in circulating leptin concentrations between the sexes in newborns.
1999
newborns; leptin; IGF-1
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/304255
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