Evaluating Growth Regulating Hormones in Rural Gambian Children

Objectives To evaluate the hormonal status in malnourished children during nutritional rehabilitation in order to identify markers of nutritional recovery. Methods Children 6‐24 months of age were recruited from the Medical Research Council‐ Keneba clinic. Anthropometric measurements done at baseline and on alternate days. Children were assigned to a group based on their WHO weight/height z scores (WHZ): WHZ<‐2 “malnourished” and WHZ>‐2 “well‐nourished”(WN). Children received WHO F‐75 test meal at baseline. Malnourished children received milk‐based formulas and/or supplementation with ready‐to‐use therapeutic food. We used Quantakine ELISA kits to measure the plasma hormonal levels. Results Sixty one children were recruited. Median age was 15.4 months. There were significant differences in the levels of leptin, sOBR, IGF‐1, IGFBP3 between malnourished and WN children, (P<0.005). Nutritional supplementation increased WHZ in the malnourished children and induced increases in the levels of leptin, IGF‐1, IGFBP3 and decreases in the levels of (sOBR) and the sOBR: Leptin molar ratio. The levels of leptin at Day 28 in the malnourished children remained below those of the WN, (p<0.005). However, the sOBR, sOBR: Leptin molar ratio, IGF‐1, IGFPB3 and IGF‐1:IGFPB3 molar ratios in the malnourished children on Day 28 were similar to the levels in the WN. Conclusion Our findings suggest that in rural Gambian children leptin alone is not be a good biomarker for nutritional recovery. The sOBR, sOBR: leptin molar ratio, IGF‐1, IGFPB3 and IGF‐1:IGFPB3 molar ratios appear to be better biomarkers.