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Acute paediatrics
Amylin peptide levels are raised in infants of diabetic mothers
  1. V Kairamkonda1,
  2. A Deorukhkar1,
  3. R Coombs1,
  4. R Fraser2,
  5. T Mayer3
  1. 1Dept of Neonatal Intensive Care, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK
  2. 2Dept of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK
  3. 3Dept of Paediatric Intensive Care, Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Sheffield, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr V Kairamkonda
    Leicester Royal Infirmary, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Infirmary Square, Leicester LE1 5 WW, UK; venkatash.kairamkondauhl-tr.nhs.uk

Abstract

Background: Amylin is a novel 37 amino acid peptide hormone that is co-secreted with insulin from the pancreas in response to food intake. As a potent inhibitor of gastric emptying it plays an important role in the control of carbohydrate absorption. Feed intolerance is common in infants of diabetic mothers (IDM).

Aims: To establish a normal range of amylin levels in healthy neonates, and to determine whether serum amylin levels are raised in IDM.

Methods: A serial sample of 221 infants ⩾28 weeks gestation was enrolled prior to delivery over a 12 month period. Blood samples collected immediately after birth (umbilical cord), and at the routine Guthrie test were analysed for amylin and insulin levels.

Results: Amylin levels in umbilical cord (n = 181) and Guthrie samples (n = 33) of healthy infants were 5.7 (3.0–9.1) and 6.9 (2.9–9.0) pmol/l respectively. IDM had significantly raised amylin levels in both cord (n = 31; 32.7 pmol/l, 25.9–48.1) and Guthrie samples (n = 8; 18.1 pmol/l, 15.3–23.6). Amylin correlated positively with insulin (n = 42; r = 0.67; 95% CI 0.4 to 0.81), birth weight (r = 0.22; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.36), and gestation (r = 0.18; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.32). Umbilical cord venous amylin levels showed agreement with arterial cord amylin levels (n = 34, mean bias −0.2, 95% CI 3.1 to −3.6).

Conclusions: Amylin levels are significantly increased in the umbilical cord and Guthrie blood samples in IDM.

  • amylin
  • gastric emptying
  • insulin
  • infant
  • diabetic mothers
  • feed intolerance

https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2005.078238

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    Footnotes

    • Published Online First 20 September 2005

    • Funding: The principle investigator was funded by the baby fund at the Jessop Wing, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK. The study sponsors had no role in the study design, in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report, and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

    • Competing interests: none declared