Effects of cord serum insulin, IGF-II, IGFBP-2, IL-6 and cortisol concentrations on human birth weight and length: pilot study.

Background: The IGF system is recognised to be important for fetal growth. We previously described increased Insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-2 cord serum concentrations in intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) compared with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns, and a positive relationship of IGFBP-2 with Interleukin (IL)-6. The role of cortisol in the fetus at birth is largely unknown, and interactions among peptides are their real effect on birth size is unknown.

Subclinical hypothyroidism in children and adolescents: a wide range of clinical, biochemical, and genetic factors involved.

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine clinical characteristics, biochemical parameters, and TSH-R gene variations in children and adolescents with subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) in order to evaluate their pattern of distribution in SH.

Patients: We enrolled 88 patients, each having at least two TSH measurements above the upper limit of the reference range with normal free thyroid hormones and negative thyroid autoantibodies.

Main Outcome Measures: Clinical characteristics included height, weight, family history of thyroid diseases, thyroid volume, and echogenicity at ultrasonography.

Markers of insulin sensitivity in placentas and cord serum of intrauterine growth-restricted newborns.

Objective: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) has been related to a higher incidence of insulin resistance in adult life, which is associated with low adiponectin and high resistin, insulin and interleukin (IL)-6 serum concentrations. This study assessed cortisol, insulin, total insulin receptor, resistin, adiponectin and IL-6 concentrations, as markers of insulin sensitivity, in placental lysates and cord serum of IUGR and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns, to establish relationships among peptides and with growth parameters at birth.

Design And Patients: Whole villous tissue and cord serum at birth were collected from 24 AGA and 18 IUGR newborns of comparable gestational age.

The IGF system and cytokine interactions and relationships with longitudinal growth in prepubertal patients with cystic fibrosis.

Objective: Growth delay is a feature of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation that has been shown to modify the IGF system, which is essential for normal growth, and is related to pulmonary function in CF patients. We aimed to verify whether circulating levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, insulin and the IGF system were related and/or had relationships with linear growth in children with CF.

Placental determinants of fetal growth: identification of key factors in the insulin-like growth factor and cytokine systems using artificial neural networks.

Background: Changes and relationships of components of the cytokine and IGF systems have been shown in placenta and cord serum of fetal growth restricted (FGR) compared with normal newborns (AGA). This study aimed to analyse a data set of clinical and biochemical data in FGR and AGA newborns to assess if a mathematical model existed and was capable of identifying these two different conditions in order to identify the variables which had a mathematically consistent biological relevance to fetal growth.

Methods: Whole villous tissue was collected at birth from FGR (N = 20) and AGA neonates (N = 28).

Changes and relationships of IGFS and IGFBPS and cytokines in coeliac disease at diagnosis and on gluten-free diet.

Objective: To evaluate changes and relationships of IGFs and IGFBPs, serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and auxological parameters at diagnosis of coeliac disease (CD) and at 6 months and 12 months after starting a gluten-free diet (GFD), compared with a control population.

Patients: Twenty patients were enrolled at diagnosis (9 male, 11 female; age 9.6 +/- 0.

Changes in interleukin-6 and IGF system and their relationships in placenta and cord blood in newborns with fetal growth restriction compared with controls.

Objectives: The IGF system is central to fetal growth. Recently, the relationships between cytokines and the IGF system have been shown in specific tissues. It is unknown whether these occur in the placenta.

Analysis of bone mineral density and turnover in patients with cystic fibrosis: associations between the IGF system and inflammatory cytokines.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients present an increased risk of osteoporosis, and increased fracture rate. Several factors have been identified as modulators of bone metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD).

Aims: To evaluate BMD and serum markers of bone turnover and establish their relationships with serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-2, IGFBP-3, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in young adult CF patients.

Inflammation is a modulator of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)/IGF-binding protein system inducing reduced bioactivity of IGFs in cystic fibrosis.

Objective: In inflammatory bowel diseases, increased serum interleukin (IL)-6 levels are associated with high serum insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) levels, and cytokines modify the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)/IGFBP system in models in vitro. In cystic fibrosis (CF) the IGF/IGFBP system has not been extensively studied, and relationships with proinflammatory cytokines have not been explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the IGF/IGFBP system and verify changes dependent on IL-1beta, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), and insulin.

Combined therapy with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonist (LHRHa) and growth hormone (GH) in central precocious puberty.

Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone analogues (LHRHa) are considered the treatment of choice in central precocious puberty (CPP). Final height after therapy is usually higher than the predicted one before treatment, but about 60% of patients do not reach their genetic target. The association of Growth Hormone (GH) with LHRHa could be useful in a subgroup of children with CPP and low growth velocity in order to obtain a higher final height with a complete expression of genetic potential.

Atypical subacute thyroiditis caused by Epstein-Barr virus infection in a three-year-old girl.

Subacute thyroiditis is a rare disease in childhood and is considered postviral in origin. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) involvement has been suspected, but just once demonstrated in an adult female. We report a case of subacute thyroiditis during infectious mononucleosis in a 3-year-old girl.

Thyroid function, cytokine and IGF-IGFBP interactions in cystic fibrosis patients.

Background/aims: Thyroid function impairment has been sporadically described in cystic fibrosis (CF) and ascribed to iodine overload or selenite deficiency. In this study we evaluated thyroid function in CF in order to verify these data and to evaluate if the modifications were related to serum levels of markers of inflammation and growth factors that we have previously shown to be altered in CF.

Methods: Seventeen young adult CF patients and 18 age-matched controls were enrolled in this study.

Leuteinizing hormone responses to leuprolide acetate discriminate between hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and constitutional delay of puberty.

Objective: To assess if leuprolide acetate stimulation discriminates between hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) and constitutional delay of puberty (CDP) in males.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Patients attending an academic research environment.