Correlations of circulating peptide YY and ghrelin with body weight, rate of weight gain, and time required to achieve the recommended daily intake in preterm infants

Abstract

The objective was to elucidate the relationships between serum concentrations of the gut hormone peptide YY (PYY) and ghrelin and growth development in infants for potential application to the clinical observation index. Serum concentrations of PYY and ghrelin were measured using radioimmunoassay from samples collected at the clinic. For each patient, gestational age, birth weight, time required to return to birth weight, rate of weight gain, time required to achieve recommended daily intake (RDI) standards, time required for full-gastric feeding, duration of hospitalization, and time of administration of total parenteral nutrition were recorded. Serum PYY and ghrelin concentrations were significantly higher in the preterm group (N = 20) than in the full-term group (N = 20; P < 0.01). Within the preterm infant group, the serum concentrations of PYY and ghrelin on postnatal day (PND) 7 (ghrelin = 1485.38 ± 409.24; PYY = 812.37 ± 153.77 ng/L) were significantly higher than on PND 1 (ghrelin = 956.85 ± 223.09; PYY = 545.27 ± 204.51 ng/L) or PND 3 (ghrelin = 1108.44 ± 351.36; PYY = 628.96 ± 235.63 ng/L; P < 0.01). Both serum PYY and ghrelin concentrations were negatively correlated with body weight, and the degree of correlation varied with age. Serum ghrelin concentration correlated negatively with birth weight and positively with the time required to achieve RDI (P < 0.05). In conclusion, serum PYY and ghrelin concentrations reflect a negative energy balance, predict postnatal growth, and enable compensation. Further studies are required to elucidate the precise concentration and roles of PYY and ghrelin in newborns and to determine the usefulness of measuring these hormones in clinical practice.

The Parenteral Feeding and Secretion of Regulatory Peptides in Infants

“…In the present study a significant positive correlation was observed between plasma PYY levels and energy intake in infants. These data partially confirm the observations of Chen et al [44] that PYY plasma concentrations correlate with a negative energy balance. The other explanation for reduced PYY concentrations in children fed parenterally is the typical action of PYY.…”

Relationship Between Breast Milk Ghrelin and Infants’ Serum Ghrelin and Growth in Breastfeeding Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Six articles met the criteria for meta-analysis (19,20,(23)(24)(25)(26). The excluded articles from the study (n=23) included the following: 5 articles presented the effect of breast milk ghrelin on growth in infants (6,18,21,22,27), 8 articles expressed no correlation between infants' serum ghrelin and growth (2, 17, 28-33), 3 articles were of descriptive nature (34-36), and 6 articles had an intervention group (37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42).…”

The Gestational Effects of Maternal Appetite Axis Molecules on Fetal Growth, Metabolism and Long-Term Metabolic Health: A Systematic Review

“…Neuropeptide Y (NPY), the most potent brain orexigenic peptide, increases body weight and adiposity [ 18 ]. Conversely, peptide YY inhibits food intake and weight gain and opposes the effects of ghrelin on food intake and energy balance [ 19 , 20 ]. The incretin hormones, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1 and -2), generally have anorectic properties [ 15 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”