The cortisol-cortisone shuttle in children born with intrauterine growth retardation

We evaluated the involvement of a possible dysfunction of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11 beta-HSD2) in the fetal growth retardation and poor growth rates of children born with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Children with IUGR have a nephron deficit and are also at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, and dyslipidemia later in life. The major site of 11 beta-HSD2 production is the kidney and its deficit causes hypertension. We investigated plasma concentrations of cortisol (F) and cortisone (E) and the F/E ratio in 26 control children and in 40 IUGR children without catch-up growth. We also determined cholesterol, HbA1C, insulin, and glucose levels in plasma. Mean F values were 106 +/- 54.2 ng/mL in control children and 114.6 +/- 53.2 ng/mL in IUGR children. Mean E values were 19.5 +/- 7.1 ng/mL in control children and 17.9 +/- 6.85 ng/mL in IUGR children. The mean F/E ratio for control children was 5.5 +/- 1.7. Eight (20%) of the IUGR children (IUGR children of group I) had high F/E ratios more than 2 SD above the normal mean: 13.15 +/- 4.26, (p < 0.0001) as compared to control children, whereas the other 32 children (IUGR children of group 2) had normal F/E ratios: 5.40 +/- 1.43 (p = 0.68). Childhood height was significantly lower for group 1 than group 2 children (-3.63 SD and -2.92 SD, respectively: p < 0.01) and was negatively correlated with the F/E ratio (p < 0.01). Systolic blood pressure was higher for group 1 (p = 0.005) and for group 2 (p = 0.015) than for control children. The diastolic pressure in IUGR children of group 1 was higher than that in control children (p = 0.013) and slightly higher than that in group 2 (p = 0.1, ns). Cholesterol concentrations were higher in group 1 than in group 2 (p = 0.029), and controls (p = 0.017) and correlated positively with F/E (0.02 < p < 0.05). Fasting insulin concentrations were higher in group 1 than in group 2 (ns) and controls (ns). There was no difference in mean fasting glucose concentrations, or HbA1C between the three groups. Twenty percent of our children with IUGR and poor growth rates had high F/E ratios, suggesting a possible partial 11 beta-HSD2 deficit. Whether these children are at high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases as adults remains to be further evaluated.