Leucine and glucose kinetics during growth hormone treatment in
intra uterine growth retarded preterm infants.
Toledo-Eppinga, Letty Van, Mieke C. Houdijk, Henri[diaeresis]ette A.
Delemarre-Van De Waal, Cornelis Jakobs, Harrie N. Lafeber.
Dept. of Paediatrics, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The
Netherlands
APStracts 2:0203E, 1995.
The present study was performed with the objective to investigate the
possible effects of rhGH supplementation on protein and glucose
metabolism during the early postnatal period in 7 intra-uterine
growth retarded (IUGR) preterm infants. 8 Infants were studied as
controls. The metabolic rate was measured by indirect calorimetry,
whole body protein and glucose kinetics were measured using constant
-rate infusions of [1-13C]leucine and [U-13C]-glucose during
continuous adequate oral feeding. Energy expenditure was similar in
both groups. In the rhGH treated group of infants, leucine turnover
(470 +/- 76 vs 409 +/- 47 [mu]mol.kg-1.d-1), leucine used for protein
synthesis (402 +/- 72 vs 337 +/- 36 [mu]mol.kg-1.d-1) and leucine
derived from protein breakdown (365 +/- 71 vs 304 +/- 41 [mu]mol.kg
-1.d-1) were increased. However, net leucine balance was not increased
(37 +/- 17 vs 34 +/- 13 [mu]mol.kg-1.d-1). The total rate of
appearance of glucose was 10.1 +/- 1.2 vs 10.0 +/- 1.3 mg.kg-1. min
-1. We suggest that immediate postnatal treatment with rhGH is not
effective in stimulating protein gain and has no effect on glucose
kinetics in intra-uterine growth retarded preterm infants.
Received 23 February 1995; accepted in final form 11 September
1995.
APS Manuscript Number E84-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Endocrinol. Metab.).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 6 November 95