Is low birth weight a risk factor for the development of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 1 diabetes? A population-based case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate if low birth weight as a consequence of intrauterine malnutrition is a risk factor for the later development of diabetic nephropathy.


METHODS
In a case-control set-up a group of type 1 diabetic subjects with diabetic nephropathy (n = 51) and a matched control group with normal kidney function (n = 51) were compared. Diabetic nephropathy and normal kidney function were defined as urinary albumin excretion rate above 200 microg min-1 and below 20 microg min-1, respectively. The birth weights were all obtained from the midwives' original records.


METHODS
The patients were identified from a population-based study of chronic diabetic complications in the Funen County, Denmark.


RESULTS
Birth weights according to the presence of diabetic nephropathy.


RESULTS
The median (10-90 percentile) birth weights were 3,600 g (2,960-4,274) in the group with diabetic nephropathy and 3,600 g (2,880-4,220) in the group without nephropathy, P = 0.52. In the lower quartile of birth weights the median (10-90 percentile) birth weights were 3,000 g (2,780-3,200) in the group with nephropathy versus 2,850 g (2,250-3,175) in the group without nephropathy, P = 0.07. In the upper quartile the median (10-90 percentile) birth weights were 4,225 g (4,000-4,741) in the nephropathy group and 4,000 g in the group without nephropathy, P = 0.13. We found no significant correlation between birth weights and log urinary albumin excretion rate (r = 0.148, P = 0.14) and no difference in the number of patients with nephropathy in the lower versus upper quartiles of birth weights.


CONCLUSIONS
We found no evidence of low birth weight as a risk factor for the development of diabetic nephropathy.
Eshoj
O
O
Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes Research Centre, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark. eshoj@tdcadsl.dk
Vaag
A
A
Borch-Johnsen
K
K
Feldt-Rasmussen
B
B
Beck-Nielsen
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000196:embryology*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000196:embryology*; D012307:Risk Factors