Leptin levels in cord blood and anthropometric measures at birth: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

The role of intrauterine environment in the development of obesity is increasingly recognised. Adipokines and specifically leptin have been examined as potential biomarkers predicting early development of obesity. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the epidemiological evidence for the association between leptin levels in cord blood and anthropometric measurements at birth in healthy mother-newborn pairs. A PubMed search was performed between 1994 and 2009 and manual search of reference lists of retrieved articles. Forty-four studies met the inclusion criteria set. All studies reported a positive correlation between leptin levels and birthweight. The combined correlation coefficient (r) was 0.46 [95%CI 0.43, 0.50]. Leptin levels explained 21% of variation in birthweight. Results were similar in males (r=0.55; 0.40, 0.68) and females (r=0.60; 0.50, 0.69), and between Caucasians (r=0.45; 0.39, 0.51) and eastern Asian populations (r=0.47; 0.37, 0.55). Statistically significant positive correlations were also found for birth length (r=0.29; 0.23, 0.34) and ponderal index (r=0.36; 0.31, 0.41). There was no indication of publication bias (Egger's test P-value=0.23). This meta-analysis shows a clear but moderate correlation between leptin levels in cord blood and birthweight that is observed in different population groups.

Association of Cord Blood Leptin, Soluble Leptin Receptor, Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Protein-1 on Birth Indices in Healthy Full-Term Newborns

“…Perhaps these factors may have been partly responsible for our inability to observe a correlation between leptin and crown-heel length in the first model, and observation of a lower r 2 value for the second model. Karakosta et al [28] who carried out a systematic review and a meta-analysis of cord blood leptin and anthropometric measures at birth have also reported a greater correlation of cord blood leptin with birth weight than with crown-heel length. Other investigators have reported a significant effect of leptin on head circumference in the presence as well as in the absence of significant correlations with either birth weight and/or length [1,23,29,30].…”

Systemic and Placental Leptin and Its Receptors in Pregnancies Associated With Obesity

“…30 Indeed, higher umbilical cord blood levels of leptin correlate with placental weight and increased birth weight. [31][32][33] However, the placental leptin from the syncytiotrophoblast contributes little to the fetus via the cord blood since most is secreted into the maternal circulation. 34,35 This is confirmed by the lack of correlation between leptin concentrations in maternal serum and cord blood.…”

Maternal blood metal levels and fetal markers of metabolic function

“…Further investigation of this cohort is necessary to understand how fetal leptin and adiponectin translate into childhood growth trajectories. Leptin levels at birth have been found to be correlated with anthropometric measures in childhood (Karakosta and Chatzi, 2011;Mantzoros et al, 2009); the relationship between adiponectin and BMI is more complicated (Mazaki-Tovi et al, 2005;Volberg et al, 2013). Though birth weight is positively correlated with cord blood adiponectin, adiponectin levels are low in obese adults (Mazaki-Tovi et al, 2005).…”

“…Metabolic function can be examined by measuring leptin and adiponectin levels in blood, two hormones produced by adipocytes that play critical roles in metabolic function (Karakosta and Chatzi, 2011;Trujillo and Scherer, 2005;Walsh et al, 2014). Elevated levels of both leptin and adiponectin in umbilical cord blood are correlated with high birth weight and may provide insight on future risk of childhood obesity (Karakosta and Chatzi, 2011;Mantzoros et al, 2009).…”

“…Elevated levels of both leptin and adiponectin in umbilical cord blood are correlated with high birth weight and may provide insight on future risk of childhood obesity (Karakosta and Chatzi, 2011;Mantzoros et al, 2009). In adults, elevated leptin levels are associated with increased adipose tissue mass, insulin resistance (Mantzoros et al, 2009), and, in pregnant women having large for gestational age infants (Retnakaran et al, 2012).…”