title: Effect of preterm birth on growth and cardiovascular disease risk at school age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low birthweight is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in later life, but whether premature birth is also a risk factor for CVD has not been fully determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between gestational age and risk factors for CVD at school age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using medical check-up data of school children, the relationship between gestational age and height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure, and lipid profiles at ages 9 and 12 years were investigated in children born preterm and admitted to neonatal intensive care unit at birth (n = 182; 115 boys and 67 girls). These data were also compared between preterm small for gestational age (SGA) children and preterm appropriate for gestational age (AGA) children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gestational age was positively associated with height, and inversely associated with systolic blood pressure at school age. Preterm SGA children were significantly shorter and lighter at 9 and 12 years of age compared with preterm AGA children, but there were no significant differences in any CVD risk factors between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In preterm infants, a shorter duration of gestation is associated with higher systolic blood pressure at school age.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Maternal and Perinatal Center, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inomata
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Maternal and Perinatal Center, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Taketoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Maternal and Perinatal Center, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Uta
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Koura
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Maternal and Perinatal Center, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.affiliation: Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatasaki
authors.affiliation: Koseiren Takaoka Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.affiliation: Toyama City Medical Association, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mase
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kigawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidekuni
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inadera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000254:growth & development*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: blood pressure; growth; medical check-up; newborn; premature birth