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Does metabolomic profile differ with regard to birth weight?

Pediatric Research volume 89, pages 1144–1151 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Macrosomia and child obesity are growing health-care issues worldwide. The purpose of the study was to evaluate how extremely high or low birth weight affects metabolic markers evaluated in newborn screening.

Methods

The study was register-based and included full-term singletons born in Iceland from 2009 to 2012 with newborn screening samples taken 72–96 h after birth. Three groups based on birth weight were compared: low birth weight (<2500 g), appropriate-for-gestational age, and extreme macrosomia (≥5000 g). The comparison was adjusted for possible confounding factors.

Results

Compared to appropriate-for-gestational age neonates, both low birth weight and extreme macrosomia were associated with higher levels of glutamic acid. The amino acids alanine and threonine were increased in low birth weight neonates. Free carnitine and some medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines were higher in low birth weight infants. Hydroxybutyrylcarnitine was lower in low birth weight infants, but higher in extremely macrosomic neonates. Acetylcarnitine was higher in low birth weight and extremely macrosomic neonates. Succinylcarnitine was lower and hexadecenoylcarnitine higher in macrosomic newborns.

Conclusion

Low birth weight and extremely macrosomic neonates show distinctive differences in their metabolomic profile compared to appropriate-for-gestational age newborns. The differences are not explained by gestational age.

Impact

  • The key message of this article is that both low birth weight and extremely macrosomic newborns show dissimilar metabolomic profiles compared to appropriate-for-gestational age neonates.

  • The article contributes to knowledge on what affects evaluation of results in newborn screening.

  • The impact of this article is to provide information on metabolism at both ends of the birth weight range after accounting for confounding factors including gestational age.

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Fig. 1: Comparison of the study results to the CLIR cumulative reference intervals.
Fig. 2: Amino acids compared between EM (blue), AGA (orange) and LBW (purple).
Fig. 3: Acylcarnitines compared between EM (blue), AGA (orange) and LBW (purple).

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Acknowledgements

H.V. has received a doctoral grant from the University of Iceland Doctoral Grants Fund. Other authors have no financial support to disclose.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Harpa Vidarsdottir, Thordur Thorkelsson, Ragnar Bjarnason & Reynir Tomas Geirsson

  2. Astrid Lindgren Children´s Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    Harpa Vidarsdottir

  3. Children’s Medical Center, Landspitali—The National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Thordur Thorkelsson & Ragnar Bjarnason

  4. Faculty for Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Science, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Thorhallur Ingi Halldorsson

  5. Women’s Clinic, Landspitali—The National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Reynir Tomas Geirsson

  6. Biochemical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Piero Rinaldo

  7. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Science, Univeristy of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Leifur Franzson

  8. Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Landspitali—The National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Leifur Franzson

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  1. Harpa Vidarsdottir
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Correspondence to Leifur Franzson.

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Vidarsdottir, H., Thorkelsson, T., Halldorsson, T.I. et al. Does metabolomic profile differ with regard to birth weight?. Pediatr Res 89, 1144–1151 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-020-1033-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-020-1033-0

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