Relationship of low birth weight to pulsatile arterial function in asymptomatic younger adults: the Bogalusa Heart Study

Low birth weight, an indicator of intrauterine growth restriction, is associated with adult cardiovascular (CV) disease, type 2 diabetes, and adverse levels of CV risk factors. Impaired pulsatile arterial function is also an independent predictor of early vascular damage and related CV outcome. However, information is scant regarding the influence of low birth weight on pulsatile arterial function.

The study cohort consisted of 538 black and white subjects (29% black, 42% male) aged 18-44 years (mean 36.7 years) enrolled in the Bogalusa Heart Study. Subjects were categorized into low birth weight and normal birth weight. Pulsatile arterial function was assessed in terms of large artery compliance, small artery compliance, and systemic vascular resistance by noninvasive radial artery pressure pulse contour analysis.

Blacks and females had significantly lower birth weight compared to their counterparts. Low vs. normal birth weight group had lower large artery compliance (13.3 ml/mm Hg x 10 vs. 15.5 ml/mm Hg x 10, P = 0.0002). Further, after adjusting for age, race, and sex, the large artery compliance increased across quartiles of increasing birth weight specific for race, sex, and gestational age (P for trend = 0.03). In multivariate regression model, adding race, sex, age, body surface area, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio one by one, the effect was attenuated but significant (beta = -0.067, P = 0.033).

The observed deleterious association of low birth weight on arterial wall dynamics in asymptomatic younger adults may account in part for the adverse CV risk in the Bogalusa sample.