Some children with IDDM exhibit growth retardation which t is dependent on their metabolic control, age of onset and duration of their disease Adolescents with IDDM appear to have a growth hormone (GH) resistant status, with high levels of GH and low levels of IGF-1 The aim of the present study was to correlate the IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels with the growth and metabolic control observed in prepubertal children with IDDM.

The IDDM group were 32 prepubertal children (12 M 20 F) with a mean chronological age 8.1 ± 2.9 years from 3 Hospitals of Santiago The control group © were 36 prepubertal children (20 M 16F) with a mean chronological age of 8.0 ± 1.9 years from a Public School, of similar socio-economic condition. In both groups anthropometric measure was made and the IGF-1 (RIA) and IGFBP-3 (IRMA) were determined. To establish the degree of metabolic control, Hb A1c were measured in the IDDM group

Results We observed that IGFBP-3 levels in IDDM were significantly lower than in controls group IGF-1 levels also were lower, but only in male IDDM. There was no relationship among the degree of growth retardation (z score for height) in comparison to Hb A1c, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3.Table

Table 1
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Conclusions The observed short stature in IDDM children may be explained in part by the lower levels of IGFBP-3 and IGF-1. This may be explained by a resistance to GH action produced by inadequate metabolic control of these patients Future longitudinal studies will help to delineate the relationship between metabolic control and growth in IDDM children