Serum level of ghrelin in umbilical cord in small and appropriate for gestational age newborn infants and its relationship to anthropometric measures

ABSTRACT

Ghrelin natural growth hormone secratogogue originating from the stomach, is characterized by non endocrine activities such as orexigenic effects and modulation of the endocrine and metabolic response to variation in energy balance. However it nor not known whether it plays a role in energy homeostasis during fetal life or not. The study aims to determine cord blood ghrelin level in small for gestational age [SGA] infants compared with appropriate for gestational age [AGA] infants and its relationship to anthropometric measurements at delivery. Fifty newborn infants, 30 SGA, their gestational age ranged from 36 to 39 weeks and their weight ranged from 1 to 2.2 Kg and 20 AGA infants, their gestational age ranged from 38 to 41 weeks and their weight ranged from 3 to 3.6 Kg were included in the study and were subjected to complete clinical examination, anthropometric measurements and ghrelin assay. The study showed that the cord blood ghrelin level in SGA infants [meant SD.; 8.18t 1.00 pg/ml] was Significantly greater than that in AGA infants [4.37t 0.50 pg/ml]. [p-value 0.0001]. Cord ghrelin level was correlated negatively with gestational age, weight, length and body mass index in SGA group[r=-0.55;p =0.002, r=-0.63,p =0.0001,r=-0.61, p=0.07 and r=0.56, p=0.001] and in AGA group [r=-0.48 ;p =0.05, r=-0.59,p =0.6, r=-0.37, p=0.7 and r=--0.47, p=0.7]. The study showed that the most important factor affecting ghrelin level in both SGA and AGA neonates was their weight, while the least factor is their mid arm circumference. Cord ghrelin concentration increased in small for gestational age infants due to state of prolonged under nutrition. The source of ghrelin remain unknown, it may be either from the placenta or fetal tissues origin