Insulin Sensitivity in Prepubertal Children born with Low Birth Weight

Chung, Hye Rim; Hong, Su Young; Yi, Kyung Hee; Shin, Choong Ho; Yang, Sei Won

Abstract

PURPOSE
We aimed to determine whether prepubertal children born with low birth weight (LBW) have decreased insulin sensitivity, compared with children born with normal birth weight and to know a relationship between insulin sensitivity and adiponectin concentration in those children.
METHODS
LBW (n=33) was defined as a birth weight less than 2.5 kg and control (n=20) was defined as a birth weight between 2.5 kg and 4.0 kg. Height and weight were measured for calculation of BMI. Fasting blood samples were taken for the measurements of glucose, insulin, lipid and adiponectin concentration. Body fat mass and abdominal fat ratio were measured. HOMA-IR and QUICKI were calculated, as a mean of insulin sensitivity.
RESULTS
Children with LBW showed significantly higher levels of QUICKI and adiponectin than control group (P<0.05). Taller children with LBW (height SDS>-1) were more resistant to insulin than shorter children with LBW (height SDS<-1), but there was no difference in adiponectin level between those two groups. Younger (age<6 yr) children with LBW were more sensitive to insulin and had higher levels of adiponectin than older(age>6 yr) children with LBW. In children with LBW, age was negatively correlated with QUICKI adjusted by BMI percentile (r=-0.373, P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that the levels of adiponectin increase to compensate for the diminished insulin sensitivity in younger children with LBW and this phenomenon is faded away with aging. Additionally, the results suggest that LBW children with better postnatal growth have a tendency to have insulin resistance.