Impact of size at birth on the microvasculature: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
BACKGROUND
The impact of early life factors on the microvasculature is relatively unknown.


OBJECTIVE
We hypothesized that small birth size may be associated with structural variations in the retinal vasculature in children.


METHODS
The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children followed a cohort of children born in 1991-1992 from birth. The current study included the first 263 children who were systematically screened in the year-12 follow-up. Complete data were available for 166 children with a gestation of > or = 37 weeks. Retinal circulatory measures were evaluated, including retinal microvascular tortuosity and bifurcation optimality deviance, an indicator of abnormal endothelial function.


RESULTS
Optimality deviance and retinal tortuosity were higher among those with lower birth weight. Linear regression modeling was used to assess the association of retinal microvascular measures with birth weight. The standardized beta coefficient between optimality deviance and birth weight was -.182 adjusted for gender and age in weeks; additional adjustment for systolic blood pressure and heart rate had little impact on the beta coefficient. A similar association was observed for retinal tortuosity.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study suggest that early life factors may have an important impact on retinal vascular structure, possibly through an adverse effect on endothelial function.
Tapp
Robyn J
RJ
International Centre for Circulatory Health, NHLI, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, London W2 1LA, United Kingdom. rtapp@imperial.ac.uk
Williams
Cathy
C
Witt
Nicholas
N
Chaturvedi
Nish
N
Evans
Richard
R
Thom
Simon A McG
SA
Hughes
Alun D
AD
Ness
Andrew
A
D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D010290:Parents; D011247:Pregnancy; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors