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.

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.

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.

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.

Relationships between serum IGF-1, IGFBP-2, interleukin-1beta and interleukin-6 in inflammatory bowel disease.

Aims: To study the relationships between serum IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-2 and interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6 in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: Thirty-seven patients (18 males, 19 females, aged 8.8-26.