Abstract
Capillary blood samples on filter paper were assayed by means of a RIA method (kit Nichols Institute USA) from 1096 newborns divided into fullterm,preterm and small for date infants.Somatomedin-C (SmC) mean value which did not differ in the 3 groups,was 0.15±0.09UI/ml. 110 newborns (10%) showed SmC disc values ≤0.075 UI/ml minimum value measurable by our method.There was no significant difference in the percentage of these values among the 3 groups of newborns.The total population showed a positive correlation(P<0.001)between SmC and day of life.Only in the first group SmC correlated positively(P<0.05)with birthweight also.From day 5 of life onward fullterm infants had SmC levels significantly higher than those of preterm infants examined in the same day of life,while the difference existed between fullterm and small for date infants only for the 5th day of life.Among fullterm infants,subjects on day 5 of life and from day 7 onward showed SmC values significantly higher(P<0.001) than those of newborns examined in earlier day of life.Finally,in all newborns having weight proportional to their gestational age,only subjects with birthweight > 2500g showed SmC levels significantly higher in 5th than in 4th day of life.In conclusion,SmC rates were in fact seen to be reduced in the neonatal phase of life.In fullterm and small for date infants SmC increase was found to be decidedly earlier and quicker if compared to preterm infants.In any case,reaching a critical weight seems to be necessary to complete this process.
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Tassoni, P., Cassio, A., Natali, G. et al. Somatomedin-C in fullterm, preterm and small for date infants. Pediatr Res 18, 1217 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198411000-00098
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198411000-00098