Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is associated with prenatal and infancy growth. However, the relative importance of these time periods for the CVD risk is uncertain. To elucidate this, we tested in a very preterm cohort the effects of birth weight for gestational age and weight gain between birth and 3 mo post-term (early postnatal weight gain) and between 3 mo and 1 y post-term (late infancy weight gain) on the lipid profile and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) at age 19 y. A less favorable lipid profile was strongly associated with higher current body mass index (BMI), greater waist circumference, and greater absolute fat mass. CIMT was positively associated with current height, and with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels, and LDL/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and ApoB/apolipoprotein AI (ApoAI) ratios. Lipid profile and CIMT were unrelated to gestational age, birth weight standard deviation score (SDS) and early postnatal weight gain. CIMT was positively associated with late infancy weight gain, but the relationship disappeared after correction for current height. Our findings in 19 y olds born very preterm argue for an effect of current body composition, rather than of early growth, on the CVD risk. Attempts to reduce the CVD risk in this specific population should focus on weight reduction in young adulthood rather than on optimizing the early growth pattern.
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Abbreviations
- ApoAI:
-
apolipoprotein AI
- ApoB:
-
apolipoprotein B
- CCA:
-
common carotid artery
- CIMT:
-
carotid intima-media thickness
- CVD:
-
cardiovascular disease
- SDS:
-
standard deviation score
- TC:
-
total cholesterol
- TGs:
-
triglycerides
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This specific part of the POPS-19 study was supported by a grant from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). The POPS-19 study was supported by grants from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), Edgar Doncker Foundation, Foundation for Public Health Fundraising Campaigns, Phelps Foundation, Swart-van Essen Foundation, Foundation for Children's Welfare Stamps, TNO Quality of Life, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), Dutch Kidney Foundation, Sophia Foundation for Medical Research, Stichting Astmabestrijding, Royal Effatha Guyot group.
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Finken, M., Inderson, A., Van Montfoort, N. et al. Lipid Profile and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in a Prospective Cohort of Very Preterm Subjects at Age 19 Years: Effects of Early Growth and Current Body Composition. Pediatr Res 59, 604–609 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1203/01.pdr.0000203096.13266.eb
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/01.pdr.0000203096.13266.eb
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