Journal
HORMONE RESEARCH
Volume 55, Issue 4, Pages 172-178Publisher
KARGER
DOI: 10.1159/000049991
Keywords
low birth weight; insulin response; hypercortisolism; adrenal steroids
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Aim: Data are inconsistent whether hyperinsulinemia might be associated with adrenal hyperandrogenism in young adults born with low birth weight (LBW). Method. We investigated the insulin and adrenal steroid production of 70 young LBW adults [33 women (birth weight: 1,795 +/- 435 g) and 37 men (birth weight: 1,832 +/- 337 g)]. Their results were compared to those of 30 controls (14 men, 16 women), born with normal weight. Results: In LBW women, we measured higher basal DHEA (33.5 +/- 13.1 vs. 23.6 +/- 8.7 nmol/l, p < 0.05), DHEAS (8.0 +/- 2.3 vs. 6.3 +/- 2.1 gmol/l, p < 0.05), androstenedione (8.3 +/- 2.8 vs. 6.0 +/- 2.2 nmol/l, p < 0.05) and cortisol (0.25 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.20 +/- 0.07 gmol/l, p < 0.05) levels and higher insulin response during oral glucose tolerance test (log.AUCins: 2.62 +/- 0.06 vs. 2.57 +/- 0.03, p < 0.05). DHEA levels correlated with fasting insulin levels (r = 0.45, p < 0.01) and insulin response (r = 0.33, p < 0.05). In LBW men, higher cortisol (0.27 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.22 +/- 0.06 gmol/l, p < 0.01) and SHBG (18.4 +/- 10.4 vs. 12.7 +/- 5.9 nmol/l, p < 0.05) levels were found. Conclusions: Our results suggest that mod-est hypercortisolism is present in young LBW adults. While the endocrine sequel of hypercortisolism raised insulin response and hyperandrogenism is detectable in apparently healthy young LBW women, it is absent in young LBW men. This suggests that gender-dependent mechanisms might play a role in the development of insulin resistance in LBW adults. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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