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Early predictors of hypertension in prematurely born adolescents

Betty R Vohr1, Walter Allan, Karol H Katz

  • 1.Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants' Hospital, Providence, RI, USA. bvohr@wihri.org

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|July 1, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Former preterm adolescents have higher blood pressure at age 16. Key risk factors include rapid early weight gain, maternal pre-eclampsia, and neonatal brain injury, highlighting early life programming for cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Neonatal Research
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Preterm birth is associated with long-term health complications.
  • Cardiovascular health in adolescence is a critical indicator of future well-being.
  • Understanding risk factors for elevated blood pressure in former preterm individuals is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare blood pressure levels at 16 years of age between individuals born preterm and term-matched controls.
  • To identify risk factors associated with elevated blood pressure in former preterm adolescents.

Main Methods:

  • Observational cohort study, with secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.
  • 296 preterm infants (birth weight 600 to <1250 g) and 95 term controls were evaluated at 16 years.
  • Blood pressure and its predictors were assessed.

Main Results:

  • Preterm adolescents exhibited significantly higher systolic (5.1 mm Hg) and diastolic (2.1 mm Hg) blood pressure compared to term controls.
  • Predictors of increased systolic blood pressure in preterms included rapid weight gain velocity (birth to 36 months), maternal pre-eclampsia, non-white race, and male gender.
  • Predictors of increased diastolic blood pressure included rapid weight gain velocity, brain injury, and male gender.

Conclusions:

  • Early life factors, including rapid early weight gain, intrauterine stress (pre-eclampsia), and neonatal brain injury, may contribute to increased blood pressure risk in former preterm adolescents.
  • These findings suggest early programming influences cardiovascular health trajectories.
  • Interventions targeting these early risk factors may mitigate long-term blood pressure issues in this population.
Abstract

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