title: Preterm birth attenuates association between low birth weight and endothelial dysfunction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low birth weight predisposes to later coronary disease. To further elucidate the mechanisms behind this association and their timing, vascular endothelial function-a key factor in early pathophysiology of atherosclerosis-was studied in 54 infants born either before the third trimester or at term.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All subjects were studied at 3 months of postnatal age. A laser-Doppler technique was used to measure skin perfusion before and after transdermal iontophoresis of acetylcholine (ACh; an endothelium-dependent vasodilator). In infants born at term (n=19; birth weight range: 2230 to 4205 g), maximum perfusion after ACh was 109+/-8 perfusion units (PU, mean+/-SEM) in normal-birth weight controls compared with 56+/-13 PU among those who had been small for gestational age at birth (P<0.01). In infants born preterm (n=35; birth weight range, 722 to 1868 g), ACh induced similar perfusion responses among subjects appropriate for gestational age (113+/-16 PU) and in those small for gestational age at birth (109+/-19 PU).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impairment in human endothelial function associated with low birth weight occurs or emerges late in pregnancy. Very preterm birth attenuates this association. Different gene-environment interactions in the third trimester may contribute to this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. mikael.norman@ks.se
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000502:physiology; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012737:Sex Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000109:Acetylcholine