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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Feb 16;18(4):1897.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041897.

Cord Blood Adipocytokines and Body Composition in Early Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Christos Bagias  1   2 , Nithya Sukumar  1   3 , Yonas Weldeselassie  1 , Oyinlola Oyebode  1 , Ponnusamy Saravanan  1   3
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Cord Blood Adipocytokines and Body Composition in Early Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Christos Bagias et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic. Early identification of high-risk groups will allow for the development of prevention strategies. Cord blood adipocytokines have been previously examined as biomarkers predicting future obesity. We conducted a systematic review looking at the association between cord blood leptin and adiponectin with adiposity up to 5 years of age. A literature review was performed between January 1994 and August 2020 using two bibliographic databases (Medline/Pubmed and EMBASE) and was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42017069024). Studies using skinfold thickness and direct methods of assessing body composition in full term neonates were considered. Partial correlation and multiple regression models were used to present the results. Meta-analysis was performed, were possible, using a random effects model. Cochran's Q test was used to assess heterogeneity and I2 statistics to calculate the percentage of variation across studies. The potential for publication bias was assessed using funnel plots. Data from 22 studies were retrieved and reviewed by two independent reviewers. Cord blood leptin was positively associated with adiposity at birth (r = 0.487; 95% CI: 0.444, 0.531) but was inversely related to adiposity up to 3 years of age. The association was not sustained at 5 years. There was a weak positive association between adiponectin in cord blood and adiposity at birth (r = 0.201; 95% CI: 0.125, 0.277). No correlation was found between cord blood adiponectin in young children, but data were limited. This review supports that cord blood leptin and adiponectin are associated with adiposity at birth. The results of this study provide insight into the role of adipocytokines at birth on future metabolic health and their potential use as risk stratification tools.

Keywords: adiposity; cord blood adiponectin; cord blood leptin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cord blood leptin and fat mass at birth; df: degree of freedom, RE: random effects model.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cord blood adiponectin and fat mass at birth; df: degree of freedom, RE: random effects model.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Funnel plot examining heterogeneity in the cord blood leptin and fat mass at birth group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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