IGF-1 and its binding proteins IGFBP-1 and 3 as nutritional markers in prepubertal children

• Published in: Annals of nutrition and metabolism Vol. 44; no. 4; p. 139
• Main Authors: Martínez de Icaya, P, Fernández, C, Vázquez, C, del Olmo, D, Alcázar, V, Hernández, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 2000
• Subjects: Biomarkers - analysis; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 - analysis; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 - analysis; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - analysis; Male; Nutritional Status; Radioimmunoassay; Reproducibility of Results; Serum Albumin - analysis; Spain; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transferrin - analysis; Spain
• ISSN: 0250-6807
• DOI: 10.1159/000012836

To assess the validity of the use of IGF-1, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 as biochemical markers of nutritional status in prepubertal healthy children.
Cross-sectional survey.
Healthy children from the Madrid area.
Prepubertal children (aged 7-10 years) with a body mass index (BMI) above the 90th percentile (n = 25) and below the 10th percentile (n = 31) were selected from 2,559 included in the CAENPE study (Food Intake and Nutritional Status in Schoolchildren from Madrid).
Overweight children were found to have higher serum levels of IGF-1 (306+/-162.2 vs. 209+/-71.2 ng/ml, p<0.001) and IGFBP-3 (3.3+/-1.0 vs. 2.9+/- 0.5 mg/l, p<0.01) and lower serum levels of IGFBP-1 (4.3+/-3.9 vs. 13.8+/-7.4 microg/l, p<0.01). There was a positive correlation with BMI, for IGF-1 and IGFBP-3, and negative correlation for IGFBP-1. No differences in albumin and transferrin concentrations were observed between both groups of children.
IGF-1, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 clearly classify over- and underweight prepubertal children, showing a good correlation with BMI. They can be used as biochemical markers of caloric nutritional status in this population.