Exploring Maternal Factors Linked to Weight Status in Salvadorian Infants

Background: Obesity rates in the US have risen dramatically, especially among Hispanic adults and children. Because of the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Latino children by preschool age, it is prudent to examine maternal factors potentially linked to weight status during an infant’s first year of life. The literature on risk factors of child obesity has focused primarily on children of Mexican descent, and little research exists for other Latino populations, such as Salvadorans. Objective: To investigate maternal physiologic and infant feeding factors associated with infant overweight and/or obesity in a sample of Salvadoran mother-infant dyads. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational study, utilizing an ecological framework, was conducted at the 9-12-month well-baby visit in two private pediatric offices on Long Island, New York. Maternal physiologic risk factors and feeding beliefs as well as infant feeding practices during the first 5 months were self-reported by the mothers. Infants birth weight, current weight and recumbent length were retrieved from the electronic charts. Bivariate logistic regression models examined the relationship of the variables with infant weight status, \u3e 85th weight-for-length percentile (WFL) for sex. Results: In this sample of mothers (N=88), 94.3% were born in El Salvador, 92.1% were married, and the mean age was 28.5 years (SD = 5.9 years); 43% of the total sample of infants had a WFL \u3e 85th percentile. After controlling for maternal age, insurance type, income, education, and marital status, no significant associations with infant WFL \u3e 85th percentile at the 9-12-month well-visit were found. Infant feeding practices in the first five months and maternal physiologic risk factors were not associated with infant weight status. Infant birth weight (kg) was the only variable significantly associated with WFL \u3e 85th percentile, p \u3c .05. Conclusion: This is the first study to examine infant weight status in the Salvadoran population. Future studies should objectively investigate infant feeding practices and other potential contributing factors among Salvadoran mother-infant dyads, since nearly half of the infant sample had a WFL \u3e 85th percentile

Significant benefits of AIP testing and clinical screening in familial isolated and young-onset pituitary tumors

Context Germline mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) gene are responsible for a subset of familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) cases and sporadic pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs). Objective To compare prospectively diagnosed AIP mutation-positive (AIPmut) PitNET patients with clinically presenting patients and to compare the clinical characteristics of AIPmut and AIPneg PitNET patients. Design 12-year prospective, observational study. Participants & Setting We studied probands and family members of FIPA kindreds and sporadic patients with disease onset ≤18 years or macroadenomas with onset ≤30 years (n = 1477). This was a collaborative study conducted at referral centers for pituitary diseases. Interventions & Outcome AIP testing and clinical screening for pituitary disease. Comparison of characteristics of prospectively diagnosed (n = 22) vs clinically presenting AIPmut PitNET patients (n = 145), and AIPmut (n = 167) vs AIPneg PitNET patients (n = 1310). Results Prospectively diagnosed AIPmut PitNET patients had smaller lesions with less suprasellar extension or cavernous sinus invasion and required fewer treatments with fewer operations and no radiotherapy compared with clinically presenting cases; there were fewer cases with active disease and hypopituitarism at last follow-up. When comparing AIPmut and AIPneg cases, AIPmut patients were more often males, younger, more often had GH excess, pituitary apoplexy, suprasellar extension, and more patients required multimodal therapy, including radiotherapy. AIPmut patients (n = 136) with GH excess were taller than AIPneg counterparts (n = 650). Conclusions Prospectively diagnosed AIPmut patients show better outcomes than clinically presenting cases, demonstrating the benefits of genetic and clinical screening. AIP-related pituitary disease has a wide spectrum ranging from aggressively growing lesions to stable or indolent disease course

Landscape of Familial Isolated and Young-Onset Pituitary Adenomas: Prospective Diagnosis in AIP Mutation Carriers.

Familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) due to aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) gene mutations is an autosomal dominant disease with incomplete penetrance. Clinical screening of apparently unaffected AIP mutation (AIPmut) carriers could identify previously unrecognized disease.This article is freely available via PubMed Central. Click on the 'Additional Link' above to access the full text