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Aortic Elastic Properties in Preschool Children Born Preterm

Irena Odri Komazec1, Anna Posod1, Martin Schwienbacher1

  • 1From the Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology) (I.O.K., A.P., M.R., U.P.P., U.K.-K.), Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology, Pulmonology, Allergology, and Cystic Fibrosis) (I.O.K., M.S., D.B.), and Department of Neurology (S.K.), Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria; and Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Division for Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Austria (D.B.).

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
|September 24, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Children born preterm exhibit reduced aortic distensibility and increased aortic stiffness in the descending aorta, raising cardiovascular risk. This highlights the need for early monitoring and prevention programs for preterm infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Neonatology

Background:

  • Preterm birth (<32 weeks gestation) is a known risk factor for adult cardiovascular diseases.
  • Aortic elastic properties are crucial indicators of cardiovascular health.
  • Understanding early vascular changes in preterm children is vital for long-term risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the elastic properties of the aorta in preschool-aged children born preterm.
  • To test the hypothesis that prematurity is associated with decreased aortic distensibility and increased aortic stiffness.
  • To identify early predictors of cardiovascular risk in preterm-born individuals.

Main Methods:

  • An observational study comparing 76 preterm children (<32 weeks gestation) with 79 term-born controls.
  • Noninvasive determination of elastic parameters in the ascending and descending abdominal aorta using M-mode echocardiography and computerized wall contour analysis.
  • Multivariable adjustment for confounding factors including birth weight, maternal smoking, socioeconomic status, family history, and nutrition.

Main Results:

  • Preterm children demonstrated significantly reduced distensibility and increased stiffness in the descending abdominal aorta compared to term-born controls.
  • These findings remained statistically significant after adjusting for multiple confounding variables.
  • No significant differences in elastic properties were observed in the ascending aorta between the groups.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm birth is associated with impaired elastic properties of the descending abdominal aorta, potentially due to altered viscoelasticity and lipid damage.
  • These early vascular changes may contribute to increased cardiovascular risk later in life.
  • Clinical follow-up focusing on aortic elasticity in preterm infants can inform targeted prevention strategies.
Abstract

Keywords:
aortacardiovascular diseaseelasticityfollow-up studiespediatrics

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