Does malnutrition in utero determine diabetes and coronary heart disease in adulthood? Results from the Leningrad siege study, a cross sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relation between decreased maternal food intake and risk factors for coronary heart disease in adult life.


METHODS
Cross sectional study.


METHODS
169 subjects exposed to malnutrition in utero (intrauterine group) during the siege of Leningrad (now St Petersburg) in 1941-4; 192 subjects born in Leningrad just before rationing began, before the siege (infant group); and 188 subjects born concurrently with the first two groups but outside the area of the siege (unexposed group).


METHODS
Ott Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St Petersburg.


METHODS
Development of risk factors for coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus-obesity, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, insulin concentrations, lipids, albumin excretion rate, and clotting factors.


RESULTS
There was no difference between the subjects exposed to starvation in utero and those starved during infant life in: (a) glucose tolerance (mean fasting glucose: intrauterine group 5.2 (95% confidence interval 5.1 to 5.3), infant group 5.3 (5.1 to 5.5), P = 0.94; mean 2 hour glucose: intrauterine group 6.1 (5.8 to 6.4), infant group 6.0 (5.7 to 6.3), P = 0.99); (b) insulin concentration; (c) blood pressure; (d) lipid concentration; or (e) coagulation factors. Concentrations of von Willebrand factor were raised in the intrauterine group (156.5 (79.1 to 309.5)) compared with the infant group (127.6 (63.9 to 254.8); P < 0.001), and female subjects in the intrauterine group had a stronger interaction between obesity and both systolic (P = 0.01) and diastolic (P = 0.04) blood pressure than in the infant group. Short adult stature was associated with raised concentrations of glucose and insulin 2 hours after a glucose load-independently of siege exposure. Subjects in the unexposed group had non-systematic differences in subscapular to triceps skinfold ratio, diastolic blood pressure, and clotting factors compared with the exposed groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Intrauterine malnutrition was not associated with glucose intolerance, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Subjects exposed to malnutrition showed evidence of endothelial dysfunction and a stronger influence of obesity on blood pressure.
Stanner
S A
SA
Department of Medicine, University College London Medical School, Whittington Hospital. sstanner@med.ucl.ac.uk
Bulmer
K
K
Andrès
C
C
Lantseva
O E
OE
Borodina
V
V
Poteen
V V
VV
Yudkin
J S
JS
D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology