Insulin Resistance in Children and Adolescents Born Small for Gestational Age

Lee, Hye Jeen; Jung, Myung Ki; Park, Hong Kyu; Yang, Seung; Hwang, Il Tae; Lee, Hae Ran

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether insulin resistance may be present and to analyze factors affecting the development of insulin resistance in children and adolescents born small for gestational age (SGA).
METHODS
This study includes 24 children and 18 SGA adolescents and 13 children and 14 control adolescents. All patients underwent a standard, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Serum levels of fasting blood sugar, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA- IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), insulin sensitivity index (ISI), mean serum insulin (MSI) and mean serum glucose (MSG) were evaluated.
RESULTS
The insulin responses at 30 min and 120 min after glucose load were significantly higher in pubertal SGA than control groups (P<0.05). Impaired glucose tolerance was found from 2 subjects (8.7 %) in prepubertal SGA group and from 3 subjects (15.0%) in pubertal SGA group. None of the patients had developed type 2 diabetes. MSI levels during OGTT were higher in pubertal SGA than in control. Pubertal SGA group had a significantly lower mean serum adiponectin level than control group (9.04+/-4.51 vs. 18.83+/-11.65 microgram/mL, P<0.05). Adiponectin level was correlated with HOMA-IR, QUICKI and ISI (r=-0.37, r=0.32, r=0.51, respectively, P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Adiponectin level was correlated with HOMA-IR, QUICKI and ISI. Pubertal SGA group had a significantly lower mean serum adiponectin level than control group. We suggest the check of insulin resistance using HOMA-IR, QUICKI, ISI and adiponectin is important for the prevention of metabolic syndrome (MS) in adolescents born SGA.