Changes in serum adiponectin levels from birth to term-equivalent age are associated with postnatal weight gain in preterm infants.

BACKGROUND

Adiponectin, one of the adipocytokines, is postulated to play a key role in fetal growth, probably enhancing the growth-promoting effect of insulin through insulin-sensitizing action.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

To examine how different intrauterine or postnatal growth patterns relate to adiponectin secretion, we measured serum adiponectin concentrations in 30 appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) and 19 small-for-gestational-age (SGA) preterm infants on the first day of life and at term-equivalent age.

RESULTS

The serum levels of adiponectin increased significantly in all preterm infants from birth to term-equivalent age. The adiponectin levels at term-equivalent age were significantly higher in the AGA than in the SGA group [mean (SD) 40.4 (12.3) vs. 28.4 (10.4) μg/ml; p < 0.01] after adjustment for gestational age or term-equivalent body weight. The increase in adiponectin levels from birth to term-equivalent age was significantly higher in the AGA than in the SGA group, and was positively correlated with the weight gain rate (g/kg/day) in the combined groups (r = 0.37, p < 0.01). A multiple regression analysis with the adiponectin increase from birth to term-equivalent age as the dependent variable for all the subjects revealed that only weight gain rate was independently associated with the adiponectin increase.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the change in serum adiponectin levels may reflect postnatal growth from birth to term-equivalent age in preterm infants.