Renal volume and function in school-age children born preterm or small for gestational age

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nephrology
• Developmental Biology
• Public Health

Background:

• Impaired fetal development is linked to adult hypertension.
• The specific roles of fetal growth restriction and preterm birth in renal development are unclear.
• Low birth weight is a potential risk factor for long-term health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the independent effects of fetal growth restriction and preterm birth on renal function and volume in children.
• To compare renal outcomes in preterm infants, small for gestational age (SGA) infants, and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants at school age.

Main Methods:

• Study included three groups of 9-12-year-old children: preterm (<32 weeks gestation), SGA (term, low birth weight), and controls (term, appropriate weight).
• Renal function assessed via estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary protein levels.
• Kidney volume measured using volumetric ultrasound.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in eGFR or urinary protein patterns were observed between the preterm, SGA, and control groups.
• Kidney volume was not significantly different between groups after adjusting for body surface area, gender, and age.
• Total renal volume showed a correlation with birth weight (r = 0.23, P = 0.03).

Conclusions:

• Neither preterm birth nor fetal growth restriction significantly altered renal function or volume in children at school age.
• Kidney development may be more resilient to early-life growth disturbances than previously suggested.
• Further research is needed to understand long-term cardiovascular implications.