Insulin responses during catch-up growth of infants who were small for gestational age
Colle, E.; Schiff, D.; Andrew, G.; Bauer, C.B.; Fitzhardinge, P.
Pediatrics 57(3): 363-371
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-4005 PMID: 1256946 Document Number: 105843
Growth characteristics of 15 full-term infants, selected because of weights more than 2 SD below the mean for gestational age, are described. The response to an intravenous injection of glucose was utilized to measure the insulin response of the infants at 6 months. Infants small for gestational age grow at a faster rate than appropriate-for-age infants during the first six months of life. There was a positive correlation between the growth velocity of the period and insulin release and a negative correlation between growth velocity and birth length. There was no correlation between these variables and increases in weight during the same period. Growth velocity during catch-up growth is related to the degree of preceding retardation but insulin may play a permissive role.