Contribution of relative leptin and adiponectin deficiencies in premature infants to chronic intermittent hypoxia: Exploring a new hypothesis

•Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) occurs frequently in extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW).•ELBW infants have minimal adipose tissue resulting in low plasma levels of leptin and adiponectin.•Leptin is a respiratory stimulant and adiponectin protects the lung from oxidative injury.•We propose that low levels of leptin and adiponectin may contribute to increase frequency of unstable breathing and associated CIH in ELBW.