[Impact of gestational age and birthweight on long-term cardiovascular health].
OBJECTIVE
Intra-uterine growth restriction and preterm birth can lead to cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.


BACKGROUND
Preterm birth and intra-uterine growth restriction induce long-term changes in organ development such as arterial system and kidney function. Among these changes, the impairment of arterial wall structure or properties occurring in low birth weight babies, as a result of preterm birth and intra-uterine growth restriction, may lead on a long-term to an elevation of arterial pressure and arterial stiffness. These notions are still not completely understood and seem of high importance in regard to the high frequency in preterm birth and intra-uterine growth restriction.


CONCLUSIONS
Identifying clinical, paraclinical markers and better understanding a link between adverse perinatal conditions and cardiovascular diseases might improve actions for preventing cardiovascular diseases in adulthood in this population.
Rossi
P
P
Service de médecine interne, hôpital Nord, Assistance publique des hôpitaux de Marseille et université de la Méditerranée, chemin des Bourrely, 13015 Marseille, France. pascalrossi@yahoo.com
Tauzin
L
L
Grosse
C
C
Simeoni
U
U
Frances
Y
Y
D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans