title: Cardiovascular function in adulthood following intrauterine growth restriction with abnormal fetal blood flow.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk later in life.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 19 young adults (aged 22-25 years) who were born at term after IUGR, along with 18 controls. All had been examined previously with fetal Doppler, and in the present follow-up with echocardiography, carotid echo-tracking ultrasound, applanation tonometry, blood pressure and laser Doppler, in order to characterize their cardiac and vascular geometry and/or function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diameter of the ascending aorta and the left ventricular diameter were smaller in the IUGR group, but only ascending aortic diameter remained significantly smaller after adjustment for body surface area (P < 0.05). The aortic pressure augmentation index was higher in the IUGR group (P < 0.05). The common carotid artery diameter, intima-media thickness and distensibility as well as left ventricular mass and function were similar in the two groups. IUGR status was found to be an independent predictor of ascending aortic diameter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IUGR due to placental dysfunction seems to contribute to the higher systolic blood pressure augmentation and the smaller aortic dimensions that are observed in adults more than 20 years later, with possible negative consequences for future left ventricular performance due to increased aortic impedance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. niclas.bjarnegard@liu.se
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bjarnegård
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morsing
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cinthio
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Länne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brodszki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult