title: Childhood kidney outcomes in relation to fetal blood flow and kidney size.
abstract: Impaired fetal abdominal blood flow may lead to smaller kidneys and subsequent impaired kidney function in later life. In a prospective cohort study among 923 pregnant women and their children, we measured fetal growth, kidney volumes, and umbilical and cerebral artery blood flow (median gestational age of 30.3 weeks; 95% range, 28.5-32.7 weeks). We used a higher umbilical/cerebral artery pulsatility index ratio as an indicator of preferential fetal blood flow to the upper body parts at the expense of the intra-abdominal organs. At a median age of 5.9 years (95% range, 5.7-6.6 years), we measured childhood kidney volumes, creatinine and cystatin C blood levels, microalbuminuria, BP, and eGFR. A preferential fetal blood flow to the upper body parts at the expense of the intra-abdominal organs associated only with a smaller combined kidney volume in childhood. Fetal combined kidney volume positively associated with childhood combined kidney volume and eGFR, and inversely associated with childhood creatinine and cystatin C levels (all P values <0.05), but did not associate with childhood microalbuminuria and BP. Children within the highest tertile of fetal umbilical/cerebral ratio and the lowest tertile of fetal combined kidney volume had the lowest eGFR (difference, -6.36 ml/min per 1.73 m(2); 95% confidence interval, -11.78 to -0.94 compared with children within the middle tertiles). These data suggest that impaired fetal blood to the abdominal organs and smaller fetal kidney size are associated with subclinical changes in kidney outcomes in school-aged children.
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Departments of Epidemiology, Pediatrics, and.
authors.forename: Marjolein N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kooijman
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Departments of Epidemiology, Pediatrics, and.
authors.forename: Hanneke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, and.
authors.forename: Albert J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Heijden
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Departments of Epidemiology.
authors.forename: Oscar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Gynecology and Obstetrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eric A P
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Steegers
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, and.
authors.forename: H Rob
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Taal
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Departments of Epidemiology, Pediatrics, and v.jaddoe@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult