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Effects of preterm birth and fetal growth retardation on cardiovascular risk factors in young adulthood
Kari Anne Indredavik Evensen1, Sigurd Steinshamn, Arnt Erik Tjønna
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health and Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. karianne.i.evensen@ntnu.no
Insights
Very preterm birth is linked to higher blood pressure and unfavorable fat distribution in young adults. Those born very low birth weight and with in-utero growth restriction showed the least favorable outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Developmental origins of health and disease
- Pediatric cardiology
- Public health
Background:
- Epidemiological studies link low birth weight (LBW) to later obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
- Clinical follow-up studies have only partially confirmed these associations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate associations between LBW and body fat, blood pressure (BP), lung function, endothelial function, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) in 18-year-old young adults.
Main Methods:
- Study included 37 very low birth weight (VLBW) (<1501 g, premature), 47 small for gestational age (SGA) (<10th centile, term), and 63 control subjects.
- Measurements included anthropometry, BP, endothelial function, lung function, and VO(2max).
Main Results:
- LBW groups were shorter, lighter, had smaller head circumference, and higher subscapular-to-triceps skinfold ratio than controls.
- VLBW group had higher systolic and mean arterial BP, reduced lung volumes, lower carbon monoxide transfer factor, and lower VO(2max) compared to controls.
- Young adults born VLBW with in-utero growth restriction exhibited higher central body fat, higher BP, and lower VO(2max).
Conclusions:
- Very preterm birth, not term growth restriction, was associated with elevated BP and unfavorable fat distribution.
- Young adults born VLBW with concurrent in-utero growth restriction had the least favorable health outcomes.
Background:
The association between low birth weight (LBW) and increased risk of obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular disease later in life is well documented in epidemiological studies. However, clinical follow-up studies of LBW populations have only partly supported this.
Aims:
Evaluate associations between LBW and body fat, blood pressure (BP), lung and endothelial function, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) in 18 year old young adults.
Subjects:
Thirty-seven subjects born prematurely with birth weight <1501 g (VLBW group), 47 born at term with low weight (<10th centile) for gestational age (SGA group) and 63 controls with normal birth weight participated in the study.
Outcome Measures:
Anthropometric measurements, BP, endothelial function, lung function and VO(2max) were recorded.
Results:
Both LBW groups were shorter, lighter, had smaller head circumference and higher subscapular-to-triceps skinfold-ratio than controls. Systolic and mean arterial BP was higher in the VLBW compared with the control group, whereas there were no differences between the groups in endothelial function. The VLBW group had reduced dynamic lung volumes lower carbon monoxide transfer factor and lower VO(2max) compared with controls. In particular young adults born VLBW who were also growth retarded in utero had higher indices of central body fat, higher BP and lower VO(2max).
Conclusion:
We found that very preterm birth, but not growth retardation at term, was associated with higher BP and a less favourable fat distribution. In particular, the young adults born VLBW who were also growth retarded in utero had less favourable outcomes.
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