Plasma concentrations of inactive renin in adult life are related to indicators of foetal growth.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether plasma concentrations of inactive and active renin in adult life are related to foetal development.


METHODS
A follow-up study of a group of men and women whose weight and other measurements of body size had been recorded at birth.


METHODS
Sheffield, England.


METHODS
In total 148 men and women born in the Jessop Hospital, Sheffield, during 1939-40 and now aged 50-53 years.


METHODS
Plasma concentrations of inactive and active renin in adult life.


RESULTS
Plasma concentrations of inactive and active renin in adult life tended to be higher in people who had been large at birth. The strongest relationship was between concentrations of inactive renin and abdominal circumference at birth; the median plasma concentration of inactive renin was 88.5 mu/ml in people whose abdominal circumference at birth had been 13 inches (33.02 cm) or more compared with 61 mu/ml in people whose abdomens had measured 11.5 inches (29.21 cm) or less.


CONCLUSIONS
Impairment of foetal growth is associated with lower plasma concentrations of inactive renin in adult life. Alterations in the activity of the renin-angiotensin system may be a mechanism by which reduced foetal growth leads to raised adult blood pressure.
Martyn
C N
CN
MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Southampton General Hospital, UK.
Lever
A F
AF
Morton
J J
JJ
D000005:Abdomen / Q000196:embryology; D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001824:Body Constitution; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D012737:Sex Factors
D012083:Renin