306 - Metabolomic profiles of small-for-gestational age preterm infants

Friday, April 28, 2023

5:15 PM – 7:15 PM ET

Poster Number: 306
Publication Number: 306.128

Koh Okuda, Nihon University Itabashi Hospital, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Nobuhiko Nagano, Department Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon Uviversity School of Medicine, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Aya Okahashi, Nihon university school of medcine, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan; Ichiro Morioka, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan

Presenting Author(s)

NN

Nobuhiko Nagano, MD

Associate professor
Department Pediatrics and Child Health, Nihon Uviversity School of Medicine
Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Background: Fetuses who are exposed to undernutrition during pregnancy lose weight and acquire insulin resistance. As a result, they may accumulate energy-efficient fat in utero. Small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome and lifestyle-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension in adulthood (developmental origins of health and disease [DOHaD] theory). Metabolomic analyses may enable a deeper understanding of this pathophysiology.

Objective:

To characterize the metabolomic profiles in SGA preterm infants using cord blood.

Design/Methods:

We conducted a GA-matched-case control study with institutional review board approval and parental informed consents. 30 preterm infants were categorized into SGA infants with birth weight (BW) < 10th percentile for GA (n=15); and non-SGA infants with BW ≥10th percentile for GA (n=15). SGA infants with chromosomal abnormalities were excluded. At birth, the umbilicus was double-clamped, and cord blood sampled from the umbilical vein. Metabolomic analyses were performed using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Results: Study participant demographics are shown in Table 1. Median GA was not significantly different between the two groups [SGA; 32 (26–36) vs. non-SGA; 32 (25–35) wks, p=0.661)]. Of the 255 metabolites that were analyzed, 13 (5%) showed significant differences between SGA and non-SGA infants. Detailed metabolomic profiles are shown in Table 2. In brief, significant reductions of carnosine, hypotaurine, and S-methylcysteine were observed in SGA compared with non-SGA infants.

Conclusion(s): SGA preterm infants have lower levels of cord blood antioxidative- and antiglycation-related metabolites. These results indicate that SGA preterm infants may be vulnerable to oxidative stress.