Salivary Sex Steroid Levels in Infants and the Relation with Infantile Colic

Overview

Journal J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol

Specialties Endocrinology
Pediatrics

Date 2024 Feb 13

PMID 38347685

Authors

Fulya Mete Kalayci

Ozlem Gursoy Doruk

Ibrahim Mert Erbas

Osman Tolga Ince

Makbule Neslisah Tan

Adem Aydin

Ayhan Abaci

Ece Bober

Korcan Demir

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is active during minipuberty, the timing of which coincides with infantile colic. To the best of our knowledge, the relationship between these entities has not been previously investigated.

Methods: Saliva samples were collected from 15- to 60-day-old term infants (n=139) between 9 am and 5 pm. Group 1 included infants with infantile colic (n=68, 54.4% female) while the remaining healthy infants constituted Group 2 (n=71, 47.9% female). Salivary levels of estradiol (E) in females and testosterone (T) in males were measured by ELISA in duplicate.

Results: The median (25-75 centile) age and birth week for all infants were 33 (29-43) days and 39 (38.1-40) weeks, respectively. Levels of T in males [Group 1, 73.35 (59.94-117.82) pg/mL vs Group 2, 77.66 (56.49-110.08) pg/mL, p=0.956] and E in females [Group 1, 3.91 (2.76-5.31) pg/mL vs Group 2, 4.03 (1.63-12.1) pg/mL, p=0.683] were similar. However, in subjects with infantile colic (Group 1), E and body mass index (BMI) standard deviation scores of females were slightly correlated (Group 1, r= 0.393, p=0.016 vs. Group 2, r= 0.308, p=0.076) and there was a significant correlation between the sampling time and T in males (Group 1, r= 0.469, p=0.009 vs. Group 2, r= -0.005, p=0.976).

Conclusion: Random salivary sex steroid levels were similar in infants with and without infantile colic. However, in subjects with infantile colic, E levels in females were positively correlated with BMI and T levels were higher later in the day among males. Thus, sex steroid production may be altered during minipuberty in subjects with infantile colic.

Citing Articles

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