title: Ecological analysis of the relationship between infant mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality at ages 45-69 in the Brazilian 1935 birth cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  International ecological studies have shown a positive association between infant mortality as a proxy for low birth weight and cardiovascular disease mortality in adult life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mortality rates due to Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDMR) standardised by age in adults between 45 and 69 years of age and by place of birth (pob) and residence (res) were related to Infant Mortality Rates (IMR) in the Brazilian 1935 birth cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two relationship patterns were noted between IMR and CVDMR: for the Southeast, South and Centre-West group of regions (r(pob)=0.46; r(res)=0.29) and for the North and Northeast group of regions (r(pob)=0.21; r(res)=0.33). For the latter pattern, two states were identified (Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba) as atypical areas, whose exclusion strengthened the association (r(pob)=0.73; r(res)=0.91).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The direction of the associations changed after the analysis by group of Brazilian regions (indirect control of socio-economic levels, coverage and quality of the information). There is a positive, although weak association between IMR and CVDMR. Attempts to control or minimise the interference of migratory movements, cohort effects and socio-economic levels represented methodological progress in ecological analyses of foetal programming in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estudos em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IESC/UFRJ), Praça Jorge Machado Moreira, Junto à Prefeitura Universitária UFRJ, Ilha do Fundão, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 21941-598, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Arthur Orlando Corrêa
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Schilithz
authors.forename: Cosme Marcelo Furtado Passos
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Antonio Jose Leal
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Pauline Lorena
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Kale
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors