HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in ADC Online Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mamì, C Articles by Martino, F Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mamì, C Articles by Martino, F

Plasma leptin, insulin, and neuropeptide Y response to feeding in newborn infants

¹ Department of Pediatric and Surgery Sciences, Division of Neonatology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
² Department of Radiologic Sciences, University of Messina

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor Gemelli
Divisione di Neonatologia, Policlinico Università di Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy; Marina.Gemelli@unime.it

Keywords: insulin; leptin; neuropeptide; breast feeding

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Although the functions and regulation of leptin, insulin, and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are well studied, their role and regulatory mechanisms in neonates are poorly understood.

We have reported that, compared with umbilical concentrations, on the 4th day of life fasting plasma leptin and insulin concentrations are significantly decreased, and plasma NPY concentrations increased.¹ The effects of feeding on plasma concentrations of these hormones are controversial^2,3 or have not been studied.

We have investigated the effects of breast feeding on plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin, and NPY in 30 healthy, full term neonates, exclusively breast fed, on the 4th day of life.

At 30 minutes after breast feeding, the mean (SD) plasma concentrations of leptin and insulin increased (leptin from 4.91 (6.05) to 9.85 (8.09) ng/ml (p<0.001), and insulin from 3.12 (1.24) to 9.41 (6.06) µU/ml (p<0.001)), whereas NPY did not show any significant change (73.87 (29.22) v 69.37 (26.52) pmol/l).

. . . [Full text of this article]