INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR-I IS RELATED TO GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH NEWLY-DIAGNOSED INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES

To address the relationship of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) to diabetes control, we determined IGF-I levels in 137 subjects age 17 y r and younger with recently diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes melli tus in a population-based cohort study between 3 and 11 months after d iagnosis (mean 4.9 months). Initial determinations of IGF-I. 24-h urin e C-peptide and microalbuminuria, age, sex, height, weight, body mass index, pubertal stage, and glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb) were obtained . IGF-I levels ranged from 11-439 ng/mL, were strongly related to age (r = 0.74, P < 0.001), and were higher in females than males at any gi ven age (P < 0.01). IGF-I was inversely related to GHb (partial r = -0 .43, P < 0.001) after adjustment for sex and age. The relationship bet ween IGF-I and GHb did not change between age groups (<6, 6-9. greater than or equal to 10 yr of age; P = 0.50), and it did not change betwe en prepubertal and pubertal subjects (P = 0.95). IGF-I was not related to 24-h urine C-peptide or microalbuminuria. These results suggest th at lower IGF-I levels are related to poorer metabolic control of diabe tes in the period following insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus diagno sis in all young persons regardless of age or pubertal status.