Birth weight and carotid intima-media thickness: new perspectives from the atherosclerosis risk in young adults (ARYA) study.
OBJECTIVE
Although intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adult life, it is unclear whether the relationship is present at younger ages. Furthermore, current debate suggests that postnatal factors might be at least as important as prenatal conditions. The authors investigated whether low birth weight leads to an increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in a population-based sample of 750 Dutch men and women, aged 27 to 30 years.


METHODS
Information about birth characteristics was available from the original charts of the Municipal Health Service, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated by a questionnaire. The extent of atherosclerosis, assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), was measured in both common carotid arteries.


RESULTS
Overall, birth weight was not related to common CIMT. However, in the lowest tertile of birth length an inverse association between birth weight and common CIMT was observed. Moreover, low birth weight was significantly associated with increased common CIMT in those who showed exaggerated postnatal growth.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that low birth weight is only associated with increased common CIMT in young adulthood in those who experienced severe IUGR and in those who showed exaggerated postnatal growth.
Oren
Anath
A
Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Vos
Lydia E
LE
Uiterwaal
Cuno S P M
CS
Gorissen
Wim H M
WH
Grobbee
Diederick E
DE
Bots
Michiel L
ML
D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography