Placental and Neonatal Serum Leptin Levels in Premature Infants After Phototherapy: Are They Determining Factors for the Safe Indication of Passive Exercises?

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flowchart of the patients.

Abbreviation: NICU, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Table 1 Demographic Characteristics of Premature Infants in the Study and Control Groups

Variable	Study Group (n = 23)	Control Group (n = 28)	p*
Weight (kg)	1.985 (1.130–3.475)	2.145 (840–3.730)	0.36
Gestational age	33.1 ± 1.9	33.3 ± 2.6	0.74
BMI	12.2 ± 3	11.6 ± 2.3	0.42

Notes: Data are presented as mean ± SD, median [interquartile range]. *p < 0.05 for comparisons between groups (Student’s t-test).

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.

Table 2 Comparison Between the Moments of Evaluation 2 to 2 of the Study Group, Regarding Leptin Concentration (n=23)

Moments Under Comparison	p*
Placenta (8.1–44.0)^+ x 12 h (61.4–95.1)^+	< 0.001
Placenta x before phototherapy (67.1–98.1)^+	< 0.001
Placenta x 24 h with phototherapy (61.4–95.1)^+	< 0.001
Placenta x rebound (31.8–72.6)^+	< 0.001
12 hrs x before the phototherapy	0.716
12 hrs x 24 h with phototherapy	0.662
12 hrs x rebound	0.169
Before phototherapy x 24 h with phototherapy	0.942
Before phototherapy x rebound	0.083
24 h with phototherapy x rebound phototherapy	0.071

Notes: *p < 0.01 for comparisons between moments (Friedman test) with Bonferroni multiple comparisons adjustment (p=0.05/5). ⁺Confidence intervals (CI%).

Table 3 Descriptive Analysis of Reticulocyte Values at Various Time Points After Phototherapy (n = 12)

Reticulocyte	Value	p*
Start	7.4% (0.9–19.5%)
Rebound	3.3% (0.8–14.6%)	0.004
Onset/Rebound	−3.7% (−11.1–0.6%)

Note: *p < 0.05 Student’s t-test for paired samples.

Table 4 Evaluation of the Association Between Bilirubin and Leptin, and Nutrition and Leptin (n = 23)

Bilirubin		12 h	Before Phototherapy	24 h After Phototherapy	Rebound
Start	ρ	0.12	0.04	0.25	0.17
	p	0.597	0.852	0.248	0.447
Rebound	ρ	−0.06	−0.01	0.26	−0.11
	p	0.794	0.965	0.234	0.612
Nutrition
	ρ	−0.3	0.24	0.03	0.14
	p	0.555	0.273	0.906	0.513

Table 5 Association Between BMI and Leptin

Group		12 h	Before Phototherapy	24 h After Phototherapy	Rebound
Phototherapy (n = 23)	ρ	0.28	0.32	0.26	−0.18
	p	0.204	0.133	0.237	0.404
No phototherapy (n = 19)	ρ	−0.13	–	–	–
	p	0.585	–	–	–

Note: ρ Spearman correlation.