SERUM INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR-I (IGF-I) AND IGF BINDING PROTEIN-3 (IGFBP-3) IN GROWING PRETERM INFANTS ON ENTERAL NUTRITION

We analyzed the range of serum concentrations of insulin-like growth f actor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFB P-3) and their inter-relationships with age and some parameters of nut ritional and hormonal status in 46 growing preterm infants on enteral nutrition, 72 nutritional balances were performed, with a cross-sectio nal study design, at a mean age of 35.3 +/- 17.2 days, equivalent to a mean corrected age (gestational + postnatal age) of 36 +/- 2.3 weeks, Serum concentrations of IGF-I (mean 64 +/- 36 ng/ml) and IGFBP-3 (mea n 1.15 +/- 0.53 mg/l) correlated significantly with each other (r=0.46 ) and both correlated with body weight (r=0.43 and 0.34), body length (r=0.44 and 0.36) and serum concentrations of prealbumin, apolipoprote in A and cholesterol, IGF-I also correlated with urinary excretion of C-peptide (r=0.32), There was a weak correlation between IGFBP-3 and p ostnatal age (r=0.36) but no correlation between IGF-I and IGFBP-3 and corrected age or urinary excretion of growth hormone, In growing pret erm infants, at least until 40 weeks of corrected age, serum concentra tions of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 seem to be related principally to body weig ht, body length and nutritional factors, but not to growth hormone.