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Preterm Birth, Kidney Function and Cardiovascular Disease in Children and Adolescents
Athanasia Chainoglou1, Katerina Chrysaidou1, Vasilios Kotsis2
11st Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Hippokratio Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Insights
Preterm birth can lead to long-term health issues, including kidney problems and high blood pressure (hypertension). Early detection of these chronic diseases is crucial for individuals born prematurely or with low birth weight.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Developmental Biology
- Cardiovascular Science
Background:
- Global preterm birth rates are increasing, accounting for 11% of all births.
- Prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction, and low birth weight (LBW) adversely affect organ development.
- These conditions predispose individuals to chronic diseases later in life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the long-term effects of prematurity on renal and cardiovascular development and function.
- To summarize current knowledge on the link between prematurity and chronic diseases.
- To highlight the importance of early detection and prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature.
- Analysis of human autopsy and epidemiological studies.
- Synthesis of data on renal and cardiovascular outcomes in preterm infants.
Main Results:
- Preterm birth is associated with reduced nephron number and kidney size.
- Individuals born preterm often exhibit impaired renal function.
- Increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) is commonly observed in those born preterm.
Conclusions:
- Prematurity can lead to multifactorial hypertension due to altered organ development.
- Chronic kidney disease and arterial hypertension are significant long-term risks for preterm infants.
- Early identification and management of non-communicable diseases are vital for individuals with a history of prematurity or LBW.
Abstract:
Over recent decades, there has been a global increase in preterm birth rate, which constitutes about 11% of total births worldwide. The present review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the long-term consequences of prematurity on renal and cardiovascular development and function. Recent literature supports that prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction or low birth weight (LBW) may have an adverse impact on the development of multiple organ systems, predisposing to chronic diseases in childhood and adulthood, such as arterial hypertension and chronic kidney disease. According to human autopsy and epidemiological studies, children born preterm have a lower nephron number, decreased kidney size and, in some cases, affected renal function. The origin of hypertension in children and adults born preterm seems to be multifactorial as a result of alterations in renal, cardiac and vascular development and function. The majority of the studies report increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) in individuals born preterm compared to full term. The early prevention and detection of chronic non-communicable diseases, which start from childhood and track until adulthood in children with a history of prematurity or LBW, are important.
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