Serum triglyceride level in IUGR babies and its comparison with preterm AGA and term normal babies.

Abstract

Intrauterine growth and birth weight are probably the most important factors that affect in survival and future quality of life. Intrauterine growth retardation causes program changes in body systems specially lipid metabolism that creates various problems of which coronary heart disease is important. Higher serum triglyceride (TG) level in IUGR babies relates to increase incidence of coronary heart disease. This cross sectional study was conducted in Bhangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh during July 2004 to June 2005. Serum TG levels were estimated among three groups: IUGR (n=30), preterm appropriate for gestational age (AGA) (n=30) and term normal (n=30) new born babies. Blood samples were collected from the study population in the neonatal unit and serum TG level were measured with all accuracy in a computerized automated biochemical analyzer in Biochemistry department of BSMMU. Statistical analysis were done by using student's 't' test. It was observed that serum TG level (54.4 +/- 11.2 mg/dl) in IUGR babies were significantly higher than that of term normal babies (38.7 +/- 5.8 mg/dl), p value < 0.05. This implicate future coronary heart disease in these babies as shown by others in long term prospective studies.