Abstract

Wide ranges in postnatal weight gain are seen in infants born small for gestational age (SGA); most show some catch-up growth and this may be driven by increased appetite. Ghrelin, the natural ligand of the GH secretagogue receptor, has potent orexigenic effects. In adults circulating ghrelin levels are increased in anorexia, decreased in obesity and show post prandial suppression. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that rate of weight gain over the first year in SGA infants may relate to variable suppression of circulating ghrelin levels. Serum ghrelin levels were measured in 1y old infants born SGA (n=85) and in control infants born adequate for gestational age (AGA) (n=22) fasting and 10 minutes after intravenous (iv) glucose (0.5 g/Kg of 25% dextrose). Sex- and gestational age-adjusted SD scores (SDS) for body weight were calculated at birth and at 1y, and delta weight SDS between 0-1y was calculated as an index of postnatal weight gain. In both SGA and AGA groups, ghrelin levels reduced from fasting (mean ± SE: 104.4 ± 6.4 fmol/ml) to 10 minutes post-iv glucose (82.7 ± 5.3, p<0.0005). There were no differences in ghrelin levels between SGA and AGA infants (fasting or post-iv glucose). However, in SGA infants ghrelin levels post-glucose, but not fasting, were positively related to current length (r=0.28, p<0.05), weight (r=0.23, p<0.05) and to change in weight SDS 0-1y (r=0.22, p<0.05). SGA infants who showed poor catch-up growth showed a larger decline in ghrelin concentrations post-iv glucose. In conclusion, circulating ghrelin levels rapidly decreased after iv glucose. Higher ghrelin levels or lower reductions in circulating levels following iv glucose were seen in SGA infants who showed greater infancy weight gain, suggesting that sustained orexigenic drive could contribute to postnatal catch-up growth.